Coco (2021-)
In 2021, the remains of 215 children were discovered buried underneath the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Following this discovery, alongside the excavation of more former residential schools welding similar findings, a national solidarity movement formed. Canadians placed stuffed bears in their windows, grieving the horrors of genocide together.
Among those placing the bears was my Grandma Spohn, a residential school survivor herself, displaying Coco. Coco, a ratty brown teddy bear, was gifted to my uncle. It was later passed to my dad, then his sister. When I was born, it was passed to me. I added the red heart sweater, adding a new generational touch.
Coco has become a symbol of my family's journey with intergenerational healing, a symbol of hope that I wish to spread in my artwork.
