In May 2023, I started a sculpting project that would allow me to express the long-term psychological impacts of the lost of childhood due to trauma. I named this project the Lost Childhood series.
Below are the videos of the sculptures in the series that I’ve sculpted and am sculpting so far. Each of these children expresses their response to the particular type of childhood trauma they face. Each of them imparts wisdom that we can all benefit from.
Children are emotional beings
Children should not be expected to be the happy and shiny products of their parents’ factory. They are human beings with all the complexities of a normal human.
Because of their underdeveloped cerebral capabilities, their emotions can be more intense and confusing than those of adults. It’s time we paid attention to how they feel and validate the honesty of their innerworld.
The first child in the series, entitled “Tenacity“. I love the self-reassured expression on his face . The poverty he faces does not dim his spirit. That’s tenacity.“A Victor Forged in Turmoil”. Millions of children are threatened by war and unrest every day. They grow up feeling unsafe. Many of them become overachievers, striving to make the world a better place for the frightened child within them. Being an overachiever takes a huge toll on the physical and mental health. Overachievers need help.“Secrets”. Children do not have the vocabulary or cognitive capabilities for processing trauma. They’re trapped in unexplained circumstances and confused by intense feelings. Many of them go into shutdown or the freeze mode and slip into deep depression. Their emotions are secrets even to themselves. Childhood depression is one of the most overlooked mental health issues. Let’s acknowledge that children have deep feelings and help them find the right words to explain their experiences.
This sculpture represents a story of my childhood where girls were either sold or married at a young age. I was one of few lucky ones in my village who had been kept in the family, thanks to my father.
I named this piece Ah-Bug because it reminds me of my uncles squatting by the rice paddies in their colourful bandanas, having a smoke. Ah-Bug means uncles in my Hakka language. Just to be clear all my uncles wore paints 🙂
Don’t underestimate the complexity of children’s emotions We think children are supposed to be open books. They cry when they’re in pain. They laugh when they’re excited. Because they reveal their emotions so freely, we assume they’re simple and transparent beings. This assumption makes us underestimate the complexity of our children’s minds. This boy in…
