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Linda Litteral

Through the process of making things, I want to open a door for those who have no voice and allow them a place to speak. Childhood trauma and abuse are dependent on silence and secrets to continue. My visual language speaks of the “unspeakable” while at the same time gives a sense of hope and healing to the viewer. Patriarchal constructs allow the silence that supports abuse. Metaphors about acceptable behavior in our society demonstrate the requirements for silence: “silence is golden”, “children should be seen and not heard”, “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”, and “if you don’t have anything good to say don’t say it at all” are a few examples. This subject matter in the gallery space gives the stories a different status and allows them to be confronted in a different context. This is a form of social protest that poses a public question of the problem. Perhaps some prevention will occur from greater awareness. The use of personal stories builds the content and addresses the concerns I have about our society through human experience. I lived in that space of silence for many years. There is a taboo against talking about incest and child abuse in our society, but not as strong a taboo about it actually happening. This avoidance of making public what is actually occurring is one of the mechanisms that allow the abuse to continue. Through the use of personal stories in this work, the viewing of the "secret" will allow a change in the viewer’s beliefs and understanding. I have lived the secret, kept silent for many years and will no longer continue to do so. Public awareness could encroach on the consciousness of the individual viewer and eventually have an effect on societal norms. I chose art as the vehicle to tell this story for the emotional and intellectual impact that occurs when a person experiences art. Ceramics is a medium that was used by many in childhood. It can be sophisticated, childish, and all points in between. This can appeal to the adult in the viewer as well as the childhood memories we all have.