“Struggle for Balance” is a provocative artwork by Kent Monkman, created in the year 2013. The piece is rooted in the Postcolonial art movement and exhibits characteristics of Classical Realism, while it belongs to the genre of figurative art. Its creation reflects a meaningful exploration of themes and narratives relevant to the postcolonial experience.
The artwork portrays a chaotic and intense scene set in a suburban environment with a white house featuring distinctive teal trim around the windows. At the center of the turmoil, there is a flaming vehicle with individuals nearby engaging in various dramatic actions. To the left of the composition, a group is entangled in a physical struggle; amongst them is a figure donning a golden wreath, reminiscent of Greco-Roman antiquity, who is about to hurl a dart. Another figure, who is also from that epoch, is wrestling with someone in contemporary attire, suggesting a clash of cultures and times.
In sharp contrast, individuals positioned in the lower right are seemingly focused upon geometric wooden structures that they are either assembling or dismantling—this action possibly symbolizes an attempt to bring order or structure amidst the disorder. The presence of wildlife—bears in the midst of the human turmoil—further accentuates the notion of a disrupted nature. Above, ethereal beings depicted in a classical style are seemingly in flight through the smoky air. A powerful eagle also dominates the sky, adding a potent symbol of freedom and force.
Overall, the artwork visually translates the tension and complexities of cultural interaction, the impacts of colonialism, and societal struggles, using historical and contemporary elements to communicate its profound narrative.
