Artist Manda McKay's latest paintings are meant to inform the public about a widespread yet hidden issue.
In August 2023, Athens, GA artist Manda McKay introduced a new series of oil paintings. The series, "Reflections of Freedom," examines human trafficking in an allegorical manner using leaves, water, and clouds.
In November 2023, McKay was the speaker and featured artist for the Western Judicial Circuit's Art & Justice Initiative Luncheon.
After the luncheon, District Attorney Deborah Gonzales presented McKay with a challenge coin given out by those in law enforcement and the justice system to honor community heroes.
"You are a community hero. Your art for those who are voiceless like survivors of human trafficking, child abuse and sexual assault brings necessary awareness for those who are suffering." - DA Deborah Gonzales
McKay hopes to further this awareness through a show at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport where many people will see the art.
McKay provides the following statement about the series, "Reflections of Freedom":
"Human trafficking, or modern slavery, is a crime that flourishes when the public does not know how to recognize it. Georgia ranks high in the nation for human trafficking, which means that many of us are probably encountering victims without realizing it. I hope to raise awareness through my art so that everyday citizens might identify these victims and seek help.
I avoided depicting actual victims of trafficking. I think it's much more palatable for viewers to see leaves and clouds rather than suffering children. Some viewers simply cannot confront that much pain and will turn away.
For a while I had visualized leaves filled with water to reflect the clouds overhead for this concept of freedom. And then, on a walk in the woods, I actually found a leaf holding rain water at the edge of the creek, exactly as I had pictured it. Amazingly, like magic, the clouds were right there on the ground. I could pick up the sky and hold it in my hand. I based the series Reflections of Freedom on that image, with fallen and damaged leaves to capture the fragility of enslaved people. The leaves have been torn from the protection of the tree and are partially submerged. Water represents emotion; the swirling waters could drown the leaves. But there is hope. Reflected in the water are the skies overhead, and the limitless possibilities that will come with freedom."
