Painting explores relationship

Recent Katanning Senior High School graduate Aina Aeson used her Year 12 art class to explore her relationship with the more traditional aspects of her culture.

Her mixed medium piece “Finding Mubaraqqah” also reflects Miss Aeson’s relationships with her mother.

“It’s about my culture and my interest in my culture,” she said.

The piece depicts the hand of her mother with a needle and thread, homage to when the experienced and keen sewer would make colourful dresses for Ms Aeson and her sisters when they were little.

“There is an old Muslim saying, ‘paradise lives under the feet of your mother’,” she said.

The painting highlights the important role her mother plays in her life.

It also explores the balance Miss Aeson looks for between her traditional upbringing and modern life.

It is against her traditional Muslim culture to drink and Miss Aeson draws attention to this as a difficult part of that balance, because she can be tempted by friends.

However, the young artist said setting limitations and boundaries was helpful.

“It’s great because Katanning is so multicultural, there is no disrespect,” she said.

The journey of self-discovery is one that she is enjoying as she embarks on a traineeship at Katanning Gallery and the local library.

She is also applying to study an arts degree at Curtin or Edith Cowan universities.

Miss Aeson’s piece is part of more than 40 local works on display at the Katanning Gallery as part of the Glimpses Exhibition that displays the work completed by the Year 12 students.