Our Lady of Compassion

impressions of Jacinda Ardern

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Amanta Scott, encaustic on canvas on panel, 92 x 92 cm, 2019

In the wake of the Christchurch massacre, a white supremacist attack on the New Zealand Muslim community, Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, wore a headscarf to convey respect and unity with the shattered community. For me it also evoked images of the Mater Dolorosa, the Christian mother Mary, weeping for her dying son. Since sorrow, empathy and compassion are universal I titled the work Our Lady of Compassion.

“To me, leadership is not about necessarily being the loudest in the room, but instead being the bridge, or the thing that is missing in the discussion and trying to build a consensus from there.”

— Jacinda Ardern

Inspired by Jacinda Ardern’s handling of the Christchurch massacre — I aimed to capture the complicated mix of grief, horror, empathy and compassion Jacinda Ardern appeared to be feeling.

While her donning of a headscarf conveyed a message of respect and unity with the shattered community, it also reminded me of the Mater Dolorosa who I saw as Our Lady of Compassion.

Recently, I stumbled upon the story of Suzanne Aubert, a French missionary in New Zealand who founded the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion, also known as the Sisters of Compassion in 1892. Suzanne worked with the Māori, cared for the sick, concerned herself with the many social problems in various communities and became well known throughout the country due to of her herbal remedies, and her care of abandoned and disadvantaged children regardless of race or creed. When she died in 1926 at age 91, her funeral was reported in the papers as the greatest ever to be accorded to a woman in New Zealand.

I find the chance connection here heartwarming because it furthers my belief in the unity in our diversity.

Mater Dolorosa, BARTOLOMÉ ESTEBAN MURILLOCopyright ©Museo Nacional del Prado — Mater Dolorosa, BARTOLOMÉ ESTEBAN MURILLO, Copyright ©Museo Nacional del Prado

Photo by US House of Representatives - https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/about, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75556027

Jacinda Ardern (born 26 July 1980) is the Prime Minister of New Zealand. She is the world's youngest female head of government, having taken office at age 37. Ardern became the world's second elected head of government to give birth while in office when her daughter was born on 21 June 2018.

Her wearing of a hijab in solidarity with the Muslim community; as well as her compassion and swift action following the shooting in Christchurch resonated with people worldwide.

Following the massacre of 50 Muslims at two mosques in ChristchurchNZ, Ardern said, "We are a proud nation of more than 200 ethnicities, 160 languages. And amongst that diversity we share common values. And the one that we place the currency on right now is our compassion and support for the community of those directly affected by this tragedy. And secondly, the strongest possible condemnation of the ideology of the people who did this. You may have chosen us – we utterly reject and condemn you."