Prohibited

In Prohibited, the piercing gaze of the subject speaks to an unspoken defiance—an assertion of identity in the face of imposed erasure. The words “DON’T SPEAK VERNACULAR”, emblazoned across the figure’s clothing, echo the rigid instructions given in many African primary and secondary schools, where students are often forbidden from speaking their mother tongue.

This painting interrogates the systemic silencing of indigenous languages, a practice rooted in colonial legacies that continue to shape educational policies today. The stark contrast between the figure’s confident posture and the imposed restriction highlights the tension between cultural identity and enforced conformity. By questioning whose language is deemed acceptable and whose is dismissed, Prohibited confronts the cost of assimilation and the urgent need for linguistic preservation.