I took part in the Laxey Hodgson Loom Gallery themed open art competition this year.
The theme was ‘Free’, and my piece included a clipboard which asked ‘What would YOU like to see the world free of/from?
Seventy-three people engaged in the question with both serious and humorous answers resulting in the following: homelessness (x 2); plastic; religion (x 2); dishonesty; fear (x 2); ego; intolerance; carbon oil & plastic; pain; bigotry; evil; cruelty; grief; prejudice; greed (x 4); corruption; war (x 4); my husband! (eek); lies; dishonesty; intolerance; unjustified anger; unkindness; Putin (x 2); judgementalism; lists!; hunger; politics/politicians; envy (x 2); self-interest; thirst; transphobia; jealousy; idiots; Covid; famine; bias; everyone else!; graffiti; virtue signalling; cancer (x 2); people who don’t agree with me!; sadness; mass production; paedophiles; bullies; Boris; Trump; hate (x 2, let’s all love, care and cherish one another); selfishness; wokeism; cruelty towards animals; being bullied for being a red head; fossil fuels; poverty/ill mental health (you are loved!); racism/patriarchy; hypocrisy; tax havens; Manx politicians; and a Manx Isle that believes its own press about being green whilst secretly burning all the plastic and rubbish that people spend time separating.
House of Keys should hang its head in shame!
This last point prompted someone to add What do you suggest?
Next year’s theme is ‘Sun’. I just wanted to thank those 73 people for taking the trouble to offer their thought provoking responses, and Julia Ashby Smyth for her hard work putting the exhibition together.
A BIG congratulations to all the worthy winners.
Perhaps Media Isle of Man could do its own poll of what islanders would like to see the Isle of Man free of?
I’m sure it would generate some lively conversations and food for thought like the answers here did!
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