Black Lace and Nuptial Series
1988-90
I had always been fascinated by the romanticism of saints, the role of
rituals, and the incorporation of superstitions and Santaria in the Cuban version
of the Roman Catholic faith. Gold and black lace became the two symbols that I
selected to reflect the importance of religion in my past and in Cuban
culture. Black lace not only incorporated an interesting set of contradicting
symbols between religion and sexual seduction but the veils also allowed
the vehicle for layering of images.
The lace patterns and ink washes became an important binder for
the symbols. The overlapping symbols represented the complexities of thought in our memories. The layered images were organized so that the older or less prominent
memories were presented in a diffused manner in the background while the more
important memories were more defined and placed in the foreground. All the layers
were important in the formation of the painting as each memory or experience was
integral to how I envisioned my life.
Series consisted of: 67 drawings and 69 paintings.