Let's Open Our Hearts

I feel we have a lot of repair and healing to do as individuals first, and then as a society. A good start would be by opening our hearts so we can recognize each other as fellow humans and find compassion. In my view, once we do this, real positive change will come in time.

I started planning this sculpture series about a year ago. I put the series aside for a while, until now. While I'll continue with my painting series focused on the plights of endangered animals, I will be developing this work as well.

This series is rooted in self-portraiture and my own plight as I navigate through life. I plan to address physical challenges, express inner personalities, and now and then I'll take a deep dive into personal stories, etc. I also intend to parallel what's going on with "self" with current events deeply influenced by a sense of urgency. The direction in which things are going on, and about, this planet keep me up at night sometimes and directly affect my life. 

My departing point for this sculpture series will always be from my physical body which, due to a life-threatening genetic condition lives in endless survival mode (Marfan syndrome). My depiction of my own body stems from inner opinions paired with unrelenting gratitude for its resilience and strength no matter how whittled away it may feel.

What feels right to bring out in this first sculpture, is to express how I feel about equality and justice viewed from my own lens. My angst is palpable and frenzied, so I know this hand-building clay technique is the perfect medium through which I can express this series of work.

This first sculpture is titled “Healing Energy”. It depicts me with my face blindfolded. I often feel like there is so much to keep track of that  I don’t always know what is going on. On the other hand, sometimes I don’t even want to know. My hands are up in the air almost in a fighting position. My heart is open, and I’m standing. My body is full of cracks yet unrelenting. 

Though I am a white Hispanic female born with an “invisible to others” life-threatening condition, and have felt some level of discrimination over the course of my life. I can’t pretend to understand or know what it is to be black or feel constantly threatened by others. However, I do see so much pain caused by extreme intolerance and lack of compassion and I do understand how wrong that is.

I feel we have a lot of repair and healing to do as individuals first, and then as a society. A good start would be by opening our hearts so we can recognize each other as fellow humans and find compassion. In my view, once we do this, real positive change will come in time.

At the foundation of the sculpture, I infuse gold leaf.  It is a color of compassion, courage, love, illumination, wisdom, and strength. The legs of the figure are coming-up from the gold rubble, making all efforts to stand and keep fighting with an open heart no matter how beat-up we feel, trusting in the strength and power of our purpose.

As far as I'm concerned, equality and justice are everyone's fight. We are all in it. Now is the time to stand up and resist injustice and inequality. To be strong as individuals and united as a people; to fight for racial equality, equal access, and inclusivity for all.

I hope this has given you some food for thought. Perhaps it will make you think about where you stand in this story of equality and justice, and what responsibility you feel in all of this.

If you know a little art history, you may be reminded of figure sculptures made by expressionist artist Alberto Giacometti (an influential artist since my early 20's, and we share the same birthday!) and abstract expressionist artist Willem deKooning among others. Check them out if you haven't. 

Figurative sculpture doesn't necessarily have to be about the figure itself. It can be about the psychological place of where the artist creating them finds himself/herself in, and what they have to say about a particular view. The figure simply serves as a departure point.

To see my video presentation of this sculpture, click HERE
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Thank you for reading and following me on this journey.

 Until next time!

Tina