I met Morshida and her daughter in 2022 in Madariparar which is a remote and isolated island in Northern Bangladesh. I was struck by the beauty of the island as I disembarked the small wooden boat and I was greeted by many smiling faces as the sound of laughter and birds singing filled the air. The island was suffering with the constant threat of floods and the people of the island were continuously having to move because of the growing consequences of climate change.
I will never forget Morshida as I sensed real resilience, defiance and hope as she and her family stood up to the constant fear of flooding. I will also never forget the tight bond of the family unit on these islands as everyone looked after each other. There was so much love and hope on this tiny island. I wanted to create a painting in a photorealism style that showed the beauty and defiance of Morshida as she protected her daughter who hid behind her, I wanted to show the natural beauty of the animals who were also victims of climate change and who filled this island with colour yet I wanted to show a background of the threat of the rising sea level as the children ran to safety and the dark crows started to arrive.
“Mother and Daughter won the American Contemporary Art Award in 2024”
