I live in the richest country in the world, so when I travel, I always take the road less travelled and it brings me close to the pulse of any city or town I visit in the world.
When I originally saw this child, I thought he was a “forgotten baby”. This little one was having a bath in a wooden pail in the alley way of his makeshift house. He could barely fit in the pail and he was quite dirty. There was no door on his home and he was just sitting in the pail, soaking. I heard people laughing and talking from inside his home. I sat next to a pile of trash across from his home and sketched him. The image was hastily done with colors added on the plane home.
As I sat there, I thought about how, in America we are told never to leave children in pails, unattended, since they may drown. This was not the USA and it is quite common to bathe children in what’s available in other countries and it’s not because of lack of care.
I’ve found that different rules apply for children based on location, politics, culture, parenting and economics. Not all that is forgotten is lost, sometimes it’s a matter of a different view.
Peace to all and set a time aside to remember!
Bella Sinclair said
After reading this and your past posts, I must say I love your philosophy as much as your art. This is a beautiful piece, and there is so much truth in what you have to say and show. Keep painting and posting!
ps. Poguri sounds mysterious and ingriguing! I’ll have to visit your son’s site.
K Spoering said
I am getting ready to go to Honduras to work in a free medical clinic. We see another life/world there, too. I like your point that not all that is forgotten is lost.
Thanks for visiting my blog and posting – it helped me find yours!
Kate
COBOL said
I love the drawing, it has such a nice spontaneous feel to it, and I agree that we tend to forget that our views and standards are not universally applicable
neil said
As a youngster I used to be bathed in anything that I fit into. That seems a whole world away these days. I love the expression on the childs face and its such a fabulous subject for a sketch, you have a keen eye for subject matter, very well done.
:) Silvia said
What an outstanding post, it really makes one think about what we consider normal – since it obviously is not normal for everybody.
Other people live in completely different ways – and they are *happy* that way nevertheless.
harrybell said
As a child, I had to bathe in a tin bath dragged into the scullery from the backyard, but this is worse. Very evocative drawing.
Random York said
You always make me think Indigene!
johanna said
i’ve seen a lot of children like that here. it makes me sad to know that a lot of them don’t enjoy the things that we normally take for granted.
very nice and thoughtful post
Ces said
Absolutely different. We have silly rules because we have no tort reform. Here’s a label on the iron: This iron may become hot. To avoid burns – Do not touch hot surface.
here’s another:
Do not put carseat with child on top of car.