A grandmother and her granddaughter baking together at a kitchen table in warm afternoon light

THE SCAR

Farida Yesmin (fka Kajoli Ilojak)

THE SCAR

DURATION:
10’01”
DESCRIPTION

I was 6 years old when my whole world crumbled down as a result of a serious car accident. I nearly lost my arm but, fortunately, a year of hospital treatment rescued it. Even though my arm was saved, the accident left a big, ugly scar that drew everyone's attention: people would look at me with pity, and other children shunned my company out of fear or repulsion. It became impossible for me to form friendships or close bonds. I would hide in the corners, away from other people… As a consequence, I found comfort in sitting with a pencil and paper, drawing anything that would come to my mind. Drawing became an addiction for me, as it brought me peace and solace. From this young age, I remained a loner. In my early 20s, then, I met the person who would become my future husband, who was also involved in the arts. I thought he understood me but, unfortunately, after marriage, it became apparent that I remained a victim of my childhood scar. We divorced. And, again, I kept on drawing to maintain my sanity. Although the scar brought me social ostracism, through my drawing practice, it also opened for me a world of creativity, contentment and balance. Up to these days, I know that most Bangladeshi people haven’t changed their attitude towards my scar, but I have learnt to ignore it as my art and creativity have given me the tools to build a different world for myself - a world of hope and bliss.

CREDITS

Filmed and edited by Manuel Vason. Curated and produced by DARC (​​Documentation Action Research Collective) as part of Transformance project (2016). Supported by Arts Council England. Collaborators: Manuel Vason. With further artistic responses by DARC artists Ernst Fischer, Minna Triin Kohv, Rubiane Maia, Tara Fatehi Irani, Patricio (Pato) Bosich and Jemima Yong.

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An older woman resting in warm sunlight
Farida Yesmin (fka Kajoli Ilojak)

Farida Yesmin (fka Kajoli Ilojak) was born and grew up in Bangladesh. She studied Fine Arts at Dhaka University (Bangladesh, 1998) and at Visva-Bharati University (West Bengal, India, 2003), from which she holds a Masters’ degree.

Farida Yesmin (fka Kajoli Ilojak)