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Narwhal Tusk Hero's Trauma: Art Reveals Inner Pain
29 Mar
Summary
- Darryn Frost used a narwhal tusk to defend against an attacker in 2019.
- A sculpture depicts Frost with a pained expression, showing his PTSD.
- Frost and others founded a social enterprise helping ex-offenders.
Darryn Frost, the former civil servant who bravely wielded a narwhal tusk against an attacker at Fishmongers' Hall in London in 2019, has found a new way to confront his past. A sculpture, created by artist Nick Elphick for BBC Extraordinary Portraits, offers a poignant representation of Frost's journey.
The artwork, named Empathetic Protection, showcases Frost with a pained expression and a heavy burden, holding a broken narwhal tusk. This imagery symbolizes his struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the profound impact the incident had on his memory and health.
Frost has expressed that the sculpture allows him to be "honest about the things I've gone through," emphasizing that the event does not define him. He highlighted the artistic incorporation of kintsugi, a Japanese repair technique, to symbolize healing and resilience.
Following the attack, Frost, alongside fellow heroes John Crilly and Steven Gallant, received gallantry medals. Frost and Gallant have since established Own Merit, a social enterprise in Northampton that provides housing for ex-offenders, honoring the memory of Jack Merritt.
