The artwork titled “Love,” created by Kent Monkman in 2014, belongs to the art movements of Postcolonial art and Queer art. This figurative piece powerfully communicates themes relevant to these movements through its visual narrative.
In the artwork, four individuals are depicted gathered closely around a lifeless figure, cradling and supporting it with apparent care and tenderness. The figures are each engaged in this intimate act, their expressions conveying a sense of sorrow and compassion. The background reveals an urban setting with residential houses, adding a layer of everyday life to the poignant scene unfolding in the foreground. Overhead, a black bird seems to be in a confrontation with a white dove carrying an olive branch, symbolizing conflict and peace. This juxtaposition adds a profound symbolic depth to the scene, merging the personal with broader socio-political themes.
