Acrylic ink
The Soviet 588th Night Bomber Regiment was an aviation team of young women who fought the Nazis during WWII. They flew very slow, outdated biplanes made of canvas and plywood primarily used for crop-dusting to drop more than 23,000 tons of bombs onto the Germans. Despite the technical limitations of their two-seated planes, these highly skilled women were incredibly difficult for the Germans to shoot down.
They flew under the cover of night at extremely low altitudes, were unable to carry parachutes because of the weight of the bombs, and had no radar to navigate their way through the night sky—only a map and compass. They would idle their two-seated plane engines when approaching their target in order to silently glide down to the drop point—leaving only the sound of wind whooshing over the biplane’s wings to reveal their location. German soldiers likened the eerie sound to broomsticks, which is where the nickname Nachthexen—or Night Witches—comes from. It is a nickname that these fierce women adopted with pride.
Tthe strongest form of love is the kind that manifests as a willingness to stand with, raise your voice and defend those that you love and have that love be returned in kind. Love is strength."
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Cathi Beckstrand is a visual artist born and raised in the Bay Area. Her work decenters typical gender roles and histories, focusing on nontraditional expressions of strength through a feminine lens.
cebeckstrand.com