linocut print; 10×8”
Sleep Paralysis highlights the divide between those who can afford proper sleep and those who cannot, bringing attention to the struggles faced by families without access to comfortable, stable sleeping conditions. After volunteering to help provide beds to families in need, I gained a deeper understanding of how poor sleep affects people’s lives, contributing to anxiety, mental‑health challenges, hyperactivity, and daily stress. In the piece, the person on the bottom bunk is drawn with jagged, restless lines, emphasizing discomfort and exhaustion. Their wide eyes fixate on dangling money they cannot reach, symbolizing the financial barriers that trap them in this cycle. In contrast, the figure on the top bunk sleeps peacefully, positioned far above to show the stark gap between their experiences. Overall, this piece aims to raise awareness about the unseen impact of inadequate sleep and the inequalities that prevent many from achieving something as basic—and necessary, as rest.
ARTIST BIO: Andrew LAM is a grade 11 student at Summit Country Day School studying art under art teacher Carrie Barnett.