Kathelp-us 

Sue Coe's 'Kathelp-us' is a drawing of the tragic scene after Hurricane Katrina. The composition is dominated by a swirling maelstrom of lines and textures, pulling the viewer into the chaotic flood. Stark monochrome contrasts evoke a sense of despair, with dense charcoal strokes building up the harrowing details of devastation. Coe masterfully employs a visual language of semiotics, embedding symbols of suffering and neglect. Note how the lines of rain appear as piercing arrows, and the fractured architecture symbolizes broken social structures. The grotesque figures, rendered with raw emotion, challenge any romantic notions of disaster response. This creates a stark visual critique of societal indifference. The drawing destabilizes traditional disaster narratives, functioning not just as a record of events but as a profound statement on power and representation. It compels us to reconsider how we interpret and respond to such tragedies.