“My art is the way I reestablish the bonds that tie me to the universe”
-ANA MENDIETA
As I have been refining the concept behind the art I am creating this semester, I was struck by this quote. Art doesn’t need to be fueled by a lofty concept, created with beautiful formal elements, or seek to provide political and social commentary. Sometimes art is just about the artist divining his or her place in the world and connection with others.
When hearing this quote I cannot help but think about cave paintings. Why did our ancestors spend days and weeks in these caves creating pictures of their surroundings? While some believe it was a ritualistic practice to bring good fortune in the hunt, I believe their desire to create superseded the biological drive to survive.
To me, art is a tool to question, discover, and understand the world around us, whether it is in a cave or at Towson University. Sometimes our art can capture all that is beautiful or all that is horrible, but at its core it still engages the human sense of curiosity and wonder. It also validates the individual human spirit and calls it to a higher purpose.
Ana Mendieta has inspired me to infuse my personal experience into my art. Through my topic of religion, I can question what religion has meant in my life, in the life of those around me, and if it leads us to a greater universal consciousness.
Sound & Sweet 