Proverb Banners

Language creates the world we live in. It determines what is and isn’t possible. Proverbs are pithy pieces of language that express a perceived common truth. They summarize the stories we tell ourselves about what we can and can’t be.

In English, we have many proverbs that reinforce a narrative that people can’t change. We often turn to them when we don’t know what else to say. Think about how the proverb “it is what it is” can function as the end of a conversation. It makes us passive bystanders in the world, instead of active participants.

Instead of selling ourselves short, these works ask what new proverbs can we write to inspire growth and change?