ARTIST STATEMENT
Mutual Aid and Chosen Family
Carolyn Olson
For the last year I have been working on this body of work. The stories of mutual aid and chosen family are important to retell now more than ever. We’re reminded that we aren’t alone, that our families and community need us as much as we need them. We stay connected to the good – reject the chaos. We bring our best to each day and make the world better.
MUTUAL AID
The concept of mutual aid is not new, but today it couldn’t be more relevant.
In mutual aid, people work together to provide for one another's needs because they know that the systems they currently live under will not. Community-led networks provide direct support to address needs like housing, groceries, and medical care. They bypass mainstream systems that can be inaccessible or unsupportive.
Mutual aid projects encourage people to take on the responsibility of caring for one another. Most mutual aid programs are run by volunteers who want to make a material difference today rather than waiting for businesses or governments to intervene in current crises.
Mutual aid runs under the slogan solidarity not charity and involves people at all levels of a community respecting one another’s autonomy as they support each other.
CHOSEN FAMILY
Chosen families are made up of folks who aren’t related by blood but who support you with love and respect. Chosen family is often a norm in many queer communities, often out of necessity and solidarity. When a blood family rejects, chosen families accept- building relationships and deep bonds.
For many teens and young adults, their closest friends act as chosen family members. Or your chosen family might consist of more distant relatives who feel closer than your immediate family. There really are no rules when it comes to cultivating your chosen family. Even people who have good relationships with their biological family can have a chosen family, too. This simply lends itself to double the love and support that one receives and provides.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Carolyn S. Olson is a narrative artist working and living in northern Minnesota. She uses gouache, oil and pastel to depict everyday life stories reflecting the world she wants us to live in. Figures are intentionally gestural, emoting intention and attitude through body language. Her art inspires us to be better people as we become more aware of ourselves and the world around us.
Carolyn Olson is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
This activity is made possible in part through an Artist Equity Grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to generous support from the McKnight Foundation.