Emma Grundstrom

Artist Statement: I decided to create a collage in order to show all the elements I studied for this project. There is so much history and different perspectives brought into Vodou so I chose this format because I felt it would be the best way to add in every piece of information I found relevant. Plus, making a collage is something creative that I enjoy doing in my own time. Brainstorming my research project started with a vague idea related to religious conformity. I was intrigued by this discussion looking at colonization in North America around the time of the Enlightenment, but I had to focus on something more specific. Wilcox has stated that during conversations about same-sex attraction and gender variance those that have the experiences are not even in the room (Wilcox 75). A lot of my research looked at conversations with people who practice Vodou in Haiti which I believe is the best way to truly understand one's experience. I enjoyed researching for this project because I learned so much and it wasn't just information I was unaware of. A lot of what I gained from this research was me unlearning information I thought was truthful about Vodou beforehand. There are so many misconceptions about Vodou that have been mass produced in the media. I believe this project was a moral learning experience as well; this can apply to other things in many aspects of life that I think will help me down the line on considering other perspectives before fully believing something.