monotype gelli plate print; 10×10” (image 6×6”)

“My artwork is about Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is the freedom of opinion and expression. I wanted to show the struggle of discrimination and fear that people of the LGBTQ+ community and those who want to freely express their gender feel. I included multiple quotes that contain frequent harmful messages towards people who are trans, or sometimes just some other gender identity such as non-binary or genderfluid, along with eyes watching them with tentacles that are shoving knives into them, and a heart in the middle that is cracking. Discrimination from the outside takes a toll and breaks down who we really are, trying to force us to conform with what others in society want for us rather than what we want. Not only does the creature(s) in the background represent discrimination, but it also represents fear, and how because of cases of discrimination, people tend to stay closeted and conform to society’s expectations out of fear that the same will happen to them if they try to express themselves openly, and how fear can also break down what really lies within our hearts and soul.”

ARTIST BIO: Jackson Mundstock is a freshman Grade 9 student at Oak Hills High School, currently enrolled in Drawing and Printmaking.