The Pink Bow Project
In 2016, as the national discourse opened up conversations about sexual violence, artist Karen Hawkins found herself drawn deeper into her personal burden as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. These developing national conversations served as a catalyst in shifting her artistic direction toward this new and relevant work.
Make Your Voice Heard
In April 2018, The Pink Bow Project, debuted during National Child Abuse Prevention Month, at Gallery Shoal Creek in Austin, Texas. This large-scale, multimedia art installation, The Pink Bow Project, is designed to envelop its audience. Upon entering the gallery, you are confronted by 52 sheer panels hung from the gallery ceiling like curtains. Massive in scale, each 9’x4’ panel holds 1000 pink hair bows, a ubiquitous symbol of a girl’s childhood innocence. 51,660 hair bows are displayed, representing the number of substantiated sexual abuse cases against young girls reported annually to national Child Protection Services agencies.
As you make your way through the gallery space, maneuvering through the panels like navigating through a maze, an audio component pulls you deeper into the space. Unified through experience, a crowd of voices is heard. From the crowd, a voice comes forward, stating their name and age at the time of their abuse, and then fades back into the crowd as another survivor’s voice comes to the forefront.
“The Pink Bow Project was created from a very personal space. The impetus came from the explosion of voices that began to speak about sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and childhood sexual abuse in late 2016. I found myself drawn deeper into my personal history as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse as these conversations moved from whispers to discussions, and ultimately into a movement across our national discourse. This process created space for me to reach in and reclaim a measure of power over the memories left behind. The Pink Bow Project shifts my story from an isolated, personal trauma to a shared, transformational experience with other survivors of childhood sexual abuse. In it, I found my space to speak. To say my name out loud.”
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse herself, Hawkins invites fellow survivors to anonymously record their voices and be part of The Pink Bow Project. To have your voice included in this art installation, please record your first name and the age when your abuse occurred.
"My name is Karen, I was 10 years old."
Your voice will be included with the thousands of other voices who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. Thank you for your support!
#MAKEYOURVOICEHEARD
120 St. Louis Avenue suite 149. Fort Worth, TX 76104April 8th to June 1st, 2023We are proud to partner with Alliance for Children in Tarrant County. If you have questions about childhood sexual abuse or want to get involved in supporting direct services for children who are experiencing this type of crime, please visit the link below.