Katrina Gwynne-Jones

After watching “Grayson Perry: Who are you?” (Series 1 Episode 3) on Channel 4. I have been questioning my identity, “Who am I?” as part of long-term photography works, and here I have decided to show you my own Arts perspective on the imperative of language in our community. When asking this question via Twitter (2012):  “What characteristics would you say the Deaf community has as a whole?”

These are some of the answers that were given – tribal, proud, family, individuality, pride, diversity, togetherness, unique, language, communication, share – language, experiences, culture, unity (not feeling disabled!), a linguistic minority due to their ‘disability’… “empowered” by unity.

I have also researched the language (hidden meaning) or symbolism of various animals. Artists have used animals as their subjects and root back as far as a caveman and Egyptian times. Animals are also symbolic. These are meaning for each animal that I have found closest to the characteristic of the BSL community’s answer above:

• Wolves – Loyalty, Intelligence, Friendliness, Compassionate, Communication; by not only using vocal but touch, eye contact and body movements (enduring many false stereotypes & misunderstandings)
• Ram – Fearlessness, Power, Protection, Reincarnation, Warriors, Renewal, Determination, Initiative

I wanted to express my language, British Sign Language, through the mask of various animals to describe the remarkable characteristics of my deaf linguistic community. I have disguised my muses with masks and clothes as a gesture to relay a message. I wanted to create a mythical image by carefully displaying characters within an animalistic context at its core to convey the essence of how we perceive ourselves as a community. The wolves were used due to their unique and complex social arrangements, and their heightened sense of touch and eye contact. I hope with the effect of repoussoir, in the above image I have drawn the eye of my viewer to the illuminated ram, which symbolises power, warriors, determination and fearlessness within the community. I believe this represents not only a statement of the richness and beauty of my visual language but also captures the Deaf person’s (my) personality through the very identity of this image.