Lilly Mia Black

If They Knew How to Fly South

Surreal visual narrative about how young boys in Scarborough cannot see their own potential.

“The idea of a butterfly comes from when I was in elementary school. We would raise monarchs in the library and then let them go when the time was right. I have memories of all the kids I shared this activity with and I am sure they hold onto it as well. They hold onto it from the cell they are locked inside of, the coffin, or maybe they hold onto it from their dorm room at a prestigious university. This piece is about how hope and innocence can be held within those butterflies. This piece is also about how a young man living within the more dangerous intersections of Scarborough has no idea that he is capable of achieving more. Those who succeed are shown how to and the others are left to copy what their neighbour is doing. This young man cannot see hope, hope is locked outside the dome that keeps him locked within. He has no idea that he could fly south if he tried and he has never been shown how to try anyway. ”