Jenny McGee Art > 2002- 2008 / El Salvador Series (not for individual sale) (43)
-
The project is a series of 24 paintings inspired by my family’s six-year missionary journey in El Salvador. Each painting carries a line from the hymn “Here I am Lord.” The song speaks of God’s love for all creation and was an inspiration for me growing up. I remember hearing the song in mass when I was about 12 years old, and I was filled with the same desire that is expressed in the song, Here I am, Lord; Is it I, Lord? I will go, Lord, if you lead me; I will hold your people in my heart. The song was essentially a foreshadowing of our journey to El Salvador and continues to challenge and inspire us.
In addition to bearing the song lyrics, the paintings display the beauty, struggle, despair and hope that have defined our experiences El Salvador. Some are based on very personal experiences while others unveil my struggle with social, political and/or economic difficulties that Salvadorans face.
-
1.1.jpg
This painting addresses the environmental issue of rapidly disappearing wildlife in El Salvador. This is due in part to deforestation caused by a transnational economy that feeds burgeoning construction of shopping malls, factories and new housing complexes. In addition, most rural Salvadorans are subsistence farmers who rent land and are usually not concerned with the deforestation of land that they do not own. Fifty percent of rural Salvadorans also still use wood for all their cooking needs. All these factors contribute to making El Salvador the second most deforested country in the western hemisphere. In this painting the shadow of the torogoz, the national bird of El Salvador, represents the country. 25” x 48” 3/2002
-
-
2.2.jpg
The boy in this painting represents a child living in rural El Salvador. Almost any given rural community struggles with difficulties such as few educational opportunities, a lack of clean water, and rampant malnutrition. This particular boy was visiting an ENLACE health clinic in the extremely remote village of Abelines in the county of Morazan, an area that has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the Americas. 25” x 31”…4/2004
-
-
3.3.jpg
A silhouette of a coffee plant symbolizes the lack of fair wages in the coffee industry. Coffee, the second largest, globally traded commodity after oil, with worldwide sales of $55 billion, is dominated by a handful of multinational corporations that acquire beans from small producers in nearly 50 countries, all in the developing world. The industry is dominated by four multinational companies (Procter and Gamble Co., Philip Morris Companies Inc., the Sara Lee Corp., and Nestle). For every pound of coffee sold in the United States - which can vary from $2.69 for a 13-ounce can of Folgers to $8.49 for a one-pound bag of Starbucks beans - farmers get less than 35 cents and coffee pickers less than 14 cents, according to industry statistics. http://www.organicconsumers.org/starbucks/cr.cfm 28 ”x 37” 2/2007
-
-
5.1.jpg
El Salvador has some of the best surfing in the world. My husband, Dave, and I have braved the sometimes rough waters in order to learn how to surf. Learning to surf is a long and challenging process. I had to overcome many fears. In the beginning there were moments when I thought I would not make it out of the water. I had been held under spinning in all directions by gigantic waves and thrown onto rocks. But somehow I desired to keep on trying. The journey has brought about an opportunity for me to learn how to relax and let go of my fears. By the movement of form and deepness of color this painting expresses fear-filled emotions as well as my belief that God can make darkness bright. 48” x 22” 8/2006
-
-
13.1.jpg
The landscape took my breath away driving east on the way to Apaneca. The land was filled with layers of color and grandeur. It lured me into reflecting on my feelings about when we first arrived to El Salvador. It felt so exciting and insane to be on our own adventure in Central America. We thought we were only on our honeymoon, but in retrospect God had a much bigger plan. 48” x 22” 2/2007
-
-
6.1.jpg
Carlos is from a community called El Tinteral that was devastated in the 2001 earthquakes. Carlos’ family was part of the reconstruction process. His family worked on the reconstruction committee and also received a new home. They took part in multiple other projects in the area including sanitation initiatives, improved cooking methods and retaining walls to prevent future destruction as a result of natural disasters….. 24” x 35” 9/2003
-
-
La Constancia is one of the largest beverage companies in Central America. Before being bought out by a larger multinational company, they controlled the sale of more than 90% of all beverage sales in El Salvador including all beer, Pepsi, Coca Cola and bottled water (under the name Cristal. Meanwhile, El Salvador has the worst access to potable water in the Americas and yet is forced to buy from a corrupt semi-privatized water provider. Hence, the title, “Cristeal” . 22” x 44” 6/2003
-
-
9.1.jpg
On almost every street corner there is a vendor selling pirated DVD movies for a dollar. Vendors often resort to violent protest against the implementation of anti-pirating laws in order to defend their livelihoods. Following the U.S. trend of branding everything bad as “terrorism”, the Salvadoran government condemned a DVD vendor to 25 years in prison for “terrorism” after throwing rocks at a mayor’s office. The reality remains that very few people can afford to purchase a $25 DVD when $25 equals about 20% of the monthly minimum wage. http://luterano.blogspot.com/2006/01/pirated-dvds-disappear-from-streets-of.html 17” x 23” 4/2008
-
-
10.1.jpg
I ache when I see children alone on the street. This little girl was standing by herself wearing a dirty t-shirt and pants with no shoes on her feet. What do I do with all the voices inside me? … “this is not just”... “what can I do?”... “keep walking, you’re going to be late”…”stop and give her some money”….”go talk to her”….”turn away?”… 31” x 25” 7/2005
-
-
11.1.jpg
This homeless boy lay near our home in Colonia Miramonte. He was passed out in the middle of the day on the sidewalk. I was not used to seeing poverty like this. “God help me to have compassion and love the way you want me to!” El Salvador still suffers from poverty, where more than 50% of the population lives below the poverty line, 27% are illiterate, and around 60% lack access to potable water. Many of these boys find their security and identity in gangs…. 48” x 19” 8/2004
-
-
12.1.jpg
This coffee farmer is standing in an empty coffee field which represents the decline in jobs and income within the coffee industry. Recently, coffee plantation owners paid 70 cents per 25-pound bag of coffee beans collected. The average worker collected about 5 of these bags, making an average daily income of $3.50. The basic food basket for a family of 5 in San Salvador is almost $300 monthly. Crisis y perspectivas del café, El Salvador Proceso , 05 Dec. 2001: 4 .
25” x 31” 2/2005
-
-
7.1.jpg
In urban El Salvador there are very few windows without bars covering them. Coming from the Midwestern US, this was very noteworthy to me. There is so much that goes on behind our windows. This painting serves as a metaphor of this reality in our spiritual lives. In El Salvador I have often been tempted to hide behind barred windows; fear and despair have often threatened to overwhelm me. However, more often than not over the last six years, I’ve realized that when I choose to “bar up” rather than to open up myself to others, I get to see how God uses me to speak. I get to hear his voice and hear his voice coming from others. God speaks to us all. It is our decision to listen. 34” x 34” 11/2007
-
-
14.1.jpg
The withering izote plant is addressing the environmental issues of deforestation. Next to Haiti, El Salvador is the western hemisphere’s most deforested country. 50% of rural Salvadorans use wood for all their cooking needs. In addition, most Salvadoran farmers rent the land they farm for subsistence and are not therefore concerned with caring for soil. 25” x 48" 3/2002
-
-
15.1.jpg
The torogoz in this painting symbolizes a community of hope. In the past 6 years, El Salvador has flooded me with the realities of our world. I see desperation every day, and it can be easy for me to dwell on that and be consumed by the problems. At times I wish I could curb my feelings because the sadness is as overwhelming as the poverty is endemic. However, there are also many stories of hope and God’s restoration. As I try to listen to my own deepest desires as well as the desires of others, I become aware that we all need hope. Christ gives us hope. He found the courage not to ignore or avoid the problems in the world, but to confront them in order to bring God’s presence among those around him….”Love is stronger than death and community is where you and I let the world know that there is something to celebrate, something to be joyful about….community is the place to share the Good News to the world…” The Road to Peace, Henri Nouwen. 23” x 37” 2/2008 -
-
16.1.jpg
This Hibiscus flower symbolizes a feast as well as a celebration of the abundance of God’s grace. 26” x 38” 9/2007 -
-
4.1.jpg
The clothing tag composition is my attempt to expose the reality that exists within the clothing industry in El Salvador. The clothing tags form the shape of hands which represent the labor that is behind the clothes that we wear. The Salvadoran worker earns just 25 cents for every $8.50 Old Navy T-shirt they sew. Workers are paid just 11.6 cents for each $12.99 GAP T-shirt they sew. http://www.ksworkbeat.org/Globalization/El_Salvador_Sweatshops/el_salvador_sweatshops.html
37” x 40” 5/2007
-
-
18.1.jpg
Aminta is a domestic worker or maid who works in San Salvador. Most muchachas (“girls” as the are often called) work 12-16 hours per day for 15-day shifts before being allowed to go home for 24 hours. The average pay is about $5 per day, and they are often treated as second-class citizens. 48” x 22” 2/2004
-
-
19.1.jpg
For Edgar, who lives in rural El Salvador, it is cheaper to buy a plastic bag filled with C oca-Cola than a glass of clean water. In addition, many large businesses benefit from the use of child labor in sugarcane fields in El Salvador. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0610-01.htm 26” x 38" 3/2003
-
-
20.1.jpg
El Salvador now has the highest murder rate in the Americas and is considered the most dangerous non-wartime country in the world. This is due in great part to the extensive gang violence that continues to plague the country. The amount of Salvadoran gang members deported from the U.S. (along with non-violent and otherwise law-abiding illegal aliens) is on the rise. “Recovered” 18th street gang member, Douglas, shared with us his amazing story of why he left the violent gang lifestyle and is now giving hope to other Salvadoran gang members. The canvas was shot with a 9 mm hand gun. The red color symbolizes violence while the bullet holes represent a breakthrough of the cycle of violence. 26” x 34” 3/2008
-
-
-
-
21.1.jpg
This color of green represents contemplation. This tree is a symbol of growth and inspiration. When I first sang the hymn, “Here I am Lord” that Sunday mass many years ago, my mother’s voice resonating beside me, I would never have thought that it would lead me this far. Here I am Lord, is it I Lord…I have heard you calling in the night…. The song continued playing over and over in my life until my 20’s. I would then attend a campus ministry mass at my college where I heard the song again while my fiancé and I considered a trip to El Salvador. 28” x 34” 7/2007
-