Memento

                                  Title: The Perks of Being a Diamond In The Rough

                                        Materials: wood and Paint(black and white)

                                                              My memento piece is about learning disabilities. My mother was a third grade special education teacher. My memory for the memento is when I was growing up I would get annoyed when I would hear students make fun of those who had speech impediments. I did not see the humor in that. Some individuals stereotype learning disabilities by associating them as the same thing as having down syndrome, being in a wheel chair, or having autism(the problem here is that individuals cannot always differentiate). Others claim or make those who have learning disabilities feel as though they are "stupid". This is not true. If one has a learning disability it only means that those individuals learn a different way than others do. Growing up I would hear expressions like "that's so gay" or "that's so retarded". Though these saying are common and are not always thought about for what they actual mean, they have a negative connotation revolved around them. This is because these expressions are dehumanizing these groups of people.
                                                              The piece is a diamond because the memory of hearing individuals make fun of those with speech impediments was a harsh memory. It is a complex memory and a complex topic, that of learning disabilities. Diamonds are complicated in shape. Also, diamonds have always had a sentimental value to them. They are unique and are nearly flawless. This connects to learning disabilities as these individuals have many hardships they endure(these individuals do not usually like to state that they have a learning disability because others are not usually openly accepting. This is because they do not always understand the topic. The individuals who have learning disabilities usually have to push themselves to work ten times more to learn the same information as others do. Having the duality in colors of white and black shows this. It shows how individuals can learn the same way but see things differently. Seeing the world in black and white expresses how one sees one extreme to another, in other words in one way. They have a unique perspective on life and some individuals, if they choose to let these hardships fuel them to press on, will shine bright and sparkle. The diamond in the rough expression refers to the extraction of diamonds in a literal sense. Because diamonds are hard to extract, when talking about a person with this expression it means an individual has exceptional qualities but needs refinement.The individual can learn the exact same things others can but needs some accommodations. Some ridicule this notion. Diamonds are rare and individuals who can empathize with this topic are too . It is safe to say those with learning disabilities are underappreciated and most likely feel out-cased at times.
                                                              The visual illusions(the inverted dots on the diamond act as a visual illusion) represent how an individual can learn and interpret information. For once a shape is pointed out in the illusion, one cannot unsee it. If one does not see the illusion, others who do, could say "its obvious what it is" and make the person who can not see the illusion feel frustrated and "stupid". these emotions are similar to what it would be like for one to have a learning disability. Though learning disabilities are common, many act as though the individual has something wrong with them.  The point of this piece being to break these stereotypes and keep the piece as a memento physically or the lesson of the memento kept stored in ones memory for future situations or events.
                                                       I am a diamond in the rough!




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