Credible, Small Secrets

By Sonya Kelliher-Combs

Cotton fabric, human hair, nylon thread, glass bead, steel pin

Credible
believable; convincing
credible

Credible is a series that addresses the extensive abuses committed within the Catholic Church in the state of Alaska. It continues a series I began exploring in 2005.

The paintings represent the 35 villages where there are credible allegations of abuse committed by those sent there to rescue them. Beneath each work is a list of the accused. The information was generously shared by Kyle Hopkins from Anchorage Daily News. His research is based on material from Jesuits West and has been supplemented by a report from the Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks, which lists ”all known persons - including priests, religious, lay employees and volunteers - against whom a report of sexual abuse has been made by one or more individuals” and where the abuse has been proven, admitted or where the person has been ”credibly accused”.

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Sonya Kelliher-Combs

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