I do not own the rights to this music. Music is playing from the piece itself.
Parentified Penguin
Teneshia La’Rae D. 2026
Size: 28in L/ 30in W/ 42in H
Weight: Pending a new scale
Mixed Media Sculpture
The Original Thought/ Feeling
I would like to start by saying I am all for accountability. Essentially, that’s what these mixed sculptures are about. There is who we were dreamed to be at the moment of conception, there is who we are born and bred to be, who and how we are shaped to be, our trauma, and at the end of it, who we continue to be. Who we became, our choices, what we still choose. I don’t often reflect on what happened or how it was handled, at least not by choice. I usually just go right to accountability. What it is, I still choose, who I still am, what parts of me came from all of the trauma. What pieces of my trauma became parts of my personality?
As I worked on this project, I wrote a note on my dry-erase board.
The Accountability is in the fact that I became Hyperindependent and my continued inability to form or want to form attachments/ long-lasting meaningful relationships. My fear keeps me stunted, stagnant, and isolated. There have been and still are reasons for me to keep to myself, not to share, be open, or vulnerable, but not every situation is deserving of that. In another sense, I have to reflect on how I continued the cycle of abuse internally, as I treat myself as if I am unworthy or undeserving of love. So much at times I don’t even love myself. I grew up so fast and I guess in some ways this is how I acknowledge that part of me that wasn’t supposed to. When I was hurt I fixed me, when I was sick I nursed me, arm broke I made a splint I doctored me. I’ve always had me.
