The following “Exhibit Introduction” accompanies the photography exhibit Golden States of Grace – Prayers of the Disinherited and was published in the book by the same name in 2010 by the University of New Mexico Press.
Translating Kalema - Images that Speak a Thousand Words
As a little girl, I learned that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I learned wrong. Words are indeed powerful. As a wordsmith, I know what we say and how we say it can change how you feel about yourself or another. Words can be as sharp as a knife and heavy as a brick. Words can and often do hurt. Yet, if words can hurt, they can also inspire. The adage that a picture is worth a thousand words compels me and led to the notion of an interfaith photography competition.