Echos of before, Watercolour on canvas

This painting of my mother and I, explores the profound concept of transgenerational resilience and trauma, where the experiences of past generations imprint themselves onto the canvas of our own lives. Inspired by the theory of intergenerational trauma, it reflects how events that shaped our ancestors — their struggles and their triumphs — can alter our biology, behavior, and emotions. Through the lens of epigenetics, this work brings to life the ways in which trauma can create a legacy within our DNA, passing along traces of past pain, even without direct exposure.
But as much as trauma endures, so does resilience. This piece embraces the duality of inheritance: if sorrow can be encoded, so too can strength. Through layered textures and intricate colours, the piece illustrates both the weight of inherited wounds and the empowering legacy of survival, celebrating the quiet resilience that we carry forward, generation to generation. This image of my mother in red, was when she had had her passport stamped as she arrived to the UK as an immigrant, excited and resilient – a force to be reckoned with.