The Women of Evangel

I looked at "The Women of Evangel" and was immediately struck by the heavy use of portraits in the beginning of the piece.  James Kenney used one portrait after another and the effect was rather powerful.  By emphasizing on the faces of these women, he showed us that they are people first, women first.  We see them as women before we even learn about their disorder and that is important because it sets the tone for the rest of the piece.  Instead of viewing the women as helpless victims, we see them as hopeful and strong women who are being proactive about their lives despite their hardships.  Kenney does show women sick in hospital beds, but he focuses more on their joy at being at Evangel Hospital and being together.  In this piece, hope is more prominent than misery.