Mothers #2
Mothers #2 – Oil Painting On Board
Here, I use my platform as an artist to send a message of identification regardless of our differences. Additionally, I dream of us freely walking the streets, having coffee together within and beyond our borders, and of our children playing together.
As parents, we work hard on either side of the border, just to put food on the table and keep up with the bills. Sometimes the demands of work and life leave us too tired and often many parents have no energy left to oversee their children and the choices they make. Moreover, children may become easy prey targeted by sinister forces lurking in wait for them in the streets. Consequently, even the most caring and loving parents may be helpless in the face of peer pressure, gangs, or terror groups.
It breaks my heart to see people and organizations who deeply believe it is their ethical right to hate those who are different and whose beliefs are different. Also, in wars of hate children become collateral damage and unfortunately this message gets passed down from one generation to the next. As long as hate, racism and intolerance is passed down from one generation to the next there can never be peace.
Regardless of the circumstances, when a child dies, loving parents feel a sharp pain and loss. This unbearable feeling is true for all parents.
In her poignant artwork, Ednah Sarah Schwartz reflects on the complex realities faced by both Israeli and Palestinian mothers. Drawing from her observations of a group of Palestinian women, she recognizes a shared love for their children, yet acknowledges the stark differences in their circumstances. Ednah emphasizes the deep desire for peace among her people while also confronting the harsh necessity of teaching children to defend themselves and their homeland.
She highlights the unsettling reality that, despite some peace treaties with neighboring countries, there remain hostile entities that deny Israel’s right to exist, fostering an environment of hatred. The artist powerfully contrasts this with the indoctrination of violence in certain communities, where children are trained from a young age to embrace conflict rather than coexistence. Through her work, Ednah invites viewers to reflect on the urgent need for empathy and understanding in a landscape marked by division, and the hope for a future where love for one’s children does not necessitate enmity towards others.
