Artist Statement & Project Brief
“United Mothers of Nations”
An ongoing work in progress, 2023-2028
Oil painting on canvas board I Mosaic Installation
About the work
United Mothers of Nations is an ambitious, large-scale mosaic painting series by Myra Barraza and currently in progress.
Comprising over 190 individual oil paintings on 5 x 7 inch canvas boards, the work draws from the flags of every member state of the United Nations, reimagining each through a feminist lens to create a unified, monumental whole.
Each small canvas is its own painting - intimate in scale yet part of something greater. Together, they form a sweeping mosaic that speaks to the collective power of women across borders, cultures and histories. The flags of the world’s nations become not symbols of division but of shared humanity, reframed through the enduring experience of motherhood.
The vision
In a world that often feels fractured and overwhelming, United Mothers of Nations is an act of quiet, persistent hope. The work grows slowly and deliberately - a meditative practice as much as an artistic one - reflecting the patient, often unrecognized labor of women who hold communities and generations together.
The artist states, “When the current state of world affairs feels overwhelming I return to this ongoing piece. It is my small contribution to imagine a world where the brave example of mothers' care and compassion is at the center of governments and policies”.
Barraza intends to donate the completed series to the United Nations upon its completion by 2028, offering the work as a gift to the global community it represents.
Support this work
A crowdfunder has been created to invite sponsors and patrons to join this journey into completion of the series. Contributors will have the opportunity to sponsor and become part of a historic artwork in a key moment in history. For more details visit: https://gofund.me/c78e26322
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