FACES OF GRCC

The Art of a
Survivor
by Jill Rothwell
Photo by John Rothwell | Photo Editor
Grand Rapids Community College Paul Collins Art
Gallery recently featured a show entitled the “Feminist
Art Exhibit” that drew one of the gallery’s largest
crowds to date. The collaborative was 17 GRCC
student artists, Devin Hankinson being one.
“My photography in the exhibit was a means to back myself
in my decision to not report my sexual assault this year,”
Hankinson, 20, said. “I didn’t have enough hard evidence,
didn’t fight back hard enough, so I didn’t have any bodily
proof.”
Hankinson is a survivor of date rape. ‘No Proof’ was her
way of poignantly and publicly revealing the details of her
sexual assault through photography. Her therapy is being
open and candidly talking to others about what happened. She
keeps a journal as a method of therapeutic recall.
“I sat alone with the assault for a while before I said it out
loud,” Hankinson said. “I told a few friends because I was in
shock. I thought, I can’t not tell someone. I needed someone
for me.”
Prior to the exhibit Hankinson had not found a way to tell
her dad about the assault. She sat with him the night before
the show.
“At first I didn’t want my dad to find out,” Hankinson said.
“I didn’t want him showing up in a room full of people and
finding out. This way he had some time alone to process. He’s
obviously worried for me. It happened a long time ago for me,
but for my dad it just happened. He’s still getting used to me
being okay now.”
Hankinson, who is from Belmont, lives locally with her
family and considers it a safety net that allows her to explore
her art. She noted that her art is not necessarily a reflection of
her experiences but more of artists she admires.
“Art really makes me happy,” Hankinson said. “I have many
favorite artists, from a number of periods and mediums. To
name one favorite would be impossible.”
As an art history major, Hankinson aspires to be a curator
at an art museum or gallery. Her next move is to find a fouryear
school to transfer to where she can complete her degree.
One of her top picks is Central Michigan University because of
their photography program, her preferred medium.
“If I could stay here at GRCC and finish my degree, I would.
All my family lives in this area. I’m big on family and their
support,” Hankinson said.
Her openness on connecting with and meeting other survivors
has helped her heal. Having that perspective she feels it
has made it easier for others to open up and connect with her.
“There are after effects on my personality, some have told
me I’m too open and bring it up too soon in conversation with
new friends,” Hankinson said. “It happens to a lot of people.
No one should be ashamed to talk about it.”
54 | TheCollegiateLive.com