“George W. Veditz”
Medium unknown
I am Arnaud Balard, Deaf-blind (usher) and French artist. I create the Deaf art movement here in France in 2009: the Surdism. I am a deep and strong artivist, and I work hard to show how important it is to recognize Deaf artists, and their rules in and out the Deaf community. In my series of Surdists portraits, I honor George Veditz, president of NAD, and also the first to use film to capture ASL. He was a student at Gallaudet University where he studied how to become a teacher. His famous quote is: "As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs. And as long as we have our films, we can preserve signs in their old purity. It is my hope that we will all love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people." (George Veditz). In 1913, I create this artwork, to focus on the quote, we are always fighting for Sign Language all around the world. In this portrait I used some pieces of my Deaf Union flag project. It’s looks like a puzzle to show how it’s hard, even 100 years after the testimony of Veditz, to be proudly Deaf and using Sign Language. Our mosaic world needs to be linked by a global Deaf identity and with art, the Deaf community can have that link. Deaf art is a strong tool to use to stand up. In the present, It’s our time to imagine how we should cherish our Sign Language. In our present, art is a beautiful gift for out children. I respect our past, yet I create for our present and I dream for our future.