Artist: JOJO Banda
Title: Beloved
Medium: Original Oil on Canvas
Size: 36"x18"
Artist Statement:
Growing up as an Asian American girl, I never once saw an image of Christ with an Asian child. The images of Christ I saw—and loved—were of Him surrounded by children who only reflected a part of me. It made me feel lucky to be white, because in my five-year-old mind, those were the people who knew Jesus. After having children and moving from Las Vegas to Utah, I realized even more how important representation is. When we go to stores and there aren’t dolls that look like my kids or when they wish they didn’t have brown hair, tan skin, and brown eyes because they’re the only ones, it reminds me how quietly lack of representation seeps in, whether I like it or not. I simply want all the Asian babies in the world to see Christ welcoming them too—to see Him delight in their eyes disappearing when they smile—and to contribute to the growing body of work being created by many great artists. Because it’s true: Jesus loves them too. He loves them and thinks each one is beautiful. He wants them all to come to Him just as much as any other.