FathrHood

When you grow up without a father it’s very easy to find men that claim to be experts in “manliness”. They shout, “Boys don’t cry!”, “Don’t be a girl!”, “Real men play sports!”.  Growing up in that mentality, we enter adulthood as mountains; hard, cold towering objects of what we’ve been led to believe is strength. With this piece, the artist seeks to call out toxic masculinity and illustrate a scene of a father and their child exchanging energy in front of a mountainous landscape painted with all the lies the father was told as a child. Even though the father has overcome these obstacles, he hasn’t done so unscathed. Throughout the fathers image are hints of the types of damage he’s sustained; broken arrows in his back, holes in his clothing and scars, some that may not even be visible to some. ‘FathrHood’ is a call to action, a call to change the narrative around being a father and being a man. A call to lead with gentleness, kindness, vulnerability and care. A call to men to do better and be better for our future.