Hope

Artist

Anya Sengupta

Dimensions

42 x 30 cm

Medium

Oil on canvas

When I first learned about the children of South Sudan, I was immediately struck not only by their resilience, but by their hope despite the harrowing circumstances they have been made to endure. Words cannot describe the bravery of these children, and it is unimaginable for me—who has been privileged throughout my life—to not want to contribute to making a difference in the lives of these youth, with a chance to build a better future for themselves through the opportunities a good education can bring.

My painting, entitled Hope, is meant to recognize the fact that hope as a feeling is wild and reckless, and it is always present no matter how desolate one’s situation may be. Hope takes the form of these wildflowers for me—flowers that grow from nothing but seeds, soil and water. These children are at once a symbol of hope within both their and our societies—they are hope that we can learn to look beyond ourselves, and they are hope that they will be the generation that will act as South Sudan’s saviors.