Late last night I returned from a trip to Mexico City! I cannot express how fulfilling this experience was. Luckily, I’m still on CDMX time and can function enough to be here. I’m sure I’ll have more to say on the subject, but for now I want to relay one magnificent thing that was a highlight for me.
Referring to Rewards of adhering to strict value scale and perspective and Dream and memories blog posts — both relating to the Flicker piece — I had much to say about the mystery woman in the foreground of the collage.
“The woman in the foreground is a figure from an intense dream I had. She wore a veil in a low-lit corridor with shiny floors. I sat down with my journal and sketched the veiled figure just as I experienced her in my dream [shown below]. I don’t know who she represents, but she made an impression. The Woman … I don’t know “who” she actually is, but I believe she represents time.”
Bestabeé Romero studio tour.
As it turns out, I met that woman on my trip. And it is most certainly all about time⏳. Some back ground: I was not supposed to be on this trip. I had planned a summer excursion in July to Edinburgh. I received news that I was to become a Grandma for the first time and “He” was due on July 1, 2016! I changed my plans to attend a quick tour in Mexico City and met my dream woman in full context. Time affirmation #1.
We had a full itinerary while in Mexico City which included the opportunity to view studios and solo exhibitions of two prominent contemporary artists. International artist Bestabeé Romero was one of them. We were invited into her studio as well as to her home for a dinner party — an honor! During the studio tour, Bestabeé discussed one of her works and she invoked a time reference, saying that in the pre-Columbian era, time is not linear…
Very first sketch. “I sat down with my journal and sketched the veiled figure just as I experienced her in my dream.”
Wait. Did she just say the word linear? Automatically I envisioned my own work. Linear is exactly how my contemporary, “non-pre-Columbian” piece is depicted. Very linear in the sense of time because it represents an actual timeline. When she said that word I distinctly reacted and I immediately saw “Besta” as my mystery woman. Time affirmation #2.
Trip out on this! I took a few photos to show the comparisons:
Detail: final drawing situated within collage.
And so here I am in awe of the experience and how enriched I am by this connection I have made with my art. So much took place over my short visit of five days in Mexico City and this is my personal highlight. You don’t know how grateful I am to know that time was, literally, on my side.
Flicker, 2016, mixed media collage, 18″ x 26.5″
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