The Secret Hall of Mirrors

Facing your inner self can be one of the most intimidating experiences that come with growing up. But artist Katty Huertas invites her viewers to take a seat and get comfortable with that concept, whether they’re ready or not. The Colombian-born artist and Maryland Institute College of Art MFA student is not afraid of the skeletons in her closet, or yours for that matter. One could describe her style as introspective, but it’s deeper than that.

Her artwork gives us a broad perspective of identity for ourselves and our surroundings. Especially because it causes a reaction that helps us get in touch with what some call “our shadow side,” or what most people don’t want to face out of fear for what may lie beneath our actions and thoughts. She explains, “I’ve become more comfortable with exploring different mediums and technologies. Before, I tried to stick closely to my “style” but I’ve been letting myself try new things as this is one of the only ways to grow as an artist.”

Huertas’ talent is broad, as she successfully creates illustrations, graphics, and paintings, and most recently she painted banners for the 2020 Women’s March in Washington D.C. Her works are like looking into a mirror and seeing part of your soul. They pull you to enter through a tunnel that leads to a process of self progression towards acceptance of what is being represented.

This process may start with questioning of a feeling or thought, then leading to a level of awareness about what is occurring within ourselves and why. Finally, we arrive at a conclusion or acceptance of certain things we have to come to terms with about ourselves, in a way that translates to our personal experiences. 

There is another strong theme of the self vs. society in Huertas’ art, as she poses the question of not only what is going on within, but also without. In other words, there is an upfront inquiry about what is external to ourselves to get a 360 perspective on our relationship with society. We can see this in her themes of gender equality, immigrant empowerment, and animal rights.

These works pose the questions of what roles we play in society, how we connect to the world, and lead us to the bigger question of what we’re going to do about it. “I want people to realize that art is powerful. Art is more than mere decoration, it delivers messages and can inspire change. Through my work, I also want to highlight stories that have otherwise been pushed to the edges,” says Huertas.

It is through her soft use of color, details, contrast, and contour that we’re able to connect with the message behind the work itself. The aesthetic softness builds a bridge between these deeper truths and how we’re able to visualize each work’s message through an honest and approachable manner. Huertas’s paintings portray a deeper sense of identity, yet the beauty of her work allow us to digest the message in stride. The colors heighten a moody response as they pull you in.

If you look deeper you can feel the sensitivity or vibe that is presented as a whole. Take her SELF-ISH series as an example, where you can absorb the character’s feelings. A sense of confusion from the woman with the “moving” face or that shyness behind the skeleton painted face. Ultimately these paintings portray what we don’t always want to show when we face difficulties--those emotions that others don’t get to see. They represent what make us essentially who we are, our vulnerability, our gender, our fears, our deepest hopes, or our sadness.

To learn more about this artist, please visit her site.

Today’s poem resembles the whimsical themes found in Katty’s artwork:

Susie Asado

BY GERTRUDE STEIN

Sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet tea.

       Susie Asado.

Sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet tea.

       Susie Asado.

Susie Asado which is a told tray sure.

A lean on the shoe this means slips slips hers.

When the ancient light grey is clean it is yellow, it is a silver seller.

This is a please this is a please there are the saids to jelly. These are the wets these say the sets to leave a crown to Incy.

Incy is short for incubus.

A pot. A pot is a beginning of a rare bit of trees. Trees tremble, the old vats are in bobbles, bobbles which shade and shove and render clean, render clean must.   

       Drink pups.   

Drink pups drink pups lease a sash hold, see it shine and a bobolink has pins. It shows a nail.

What is a nail. A nail is unison.

Sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet tea.

Once Upon a Time in Lima

Nostalgia is like looking in the mirror and having your childlike reflection staring back at you; that’s the feeling that overtakes you with Pablo Patrucco’s paintings. The Peruvian painter presents a softer view of Lima and its people, and because he comes from a long line of painters, he has an innate understanding of his environment’s artistic representation. “In my case, it wasn’t difficult to notice [I wanted to be a painter]. I come from a medium that was familiar to me, in relation to art and literature. My mom is a painter, so was her mom, and my sister is a painter too,” he says.

Over the past  15 years, the city of Lima has been undergoing major changes socially, politically, and structurally, and all of these embody a constant shift that affects its residents and others’ perceptions of what life in Lima really is. The investment of foreign companies in the region, the massive migration of people from the provinces to the city, and the lack of public housing and transportation budget/implementation have all contributed to an inevitable collective transformation.

These changes are steps in a positive direction in developing nations like Peru. There is modernity within the city, but the newness is simply external and superficial. When it comes to the people who live there, these shifts can surely affect their daily lives and many times they have no choice but to go along with them to survive. With so much social and historical richness in Peru, modernity can’t surpass these foundations, including the blend of Incan culture and colonial architecture, which is what Patrucco’s work is showing us. His paintings focus on the natural state of the landscape, especially the beach, which is a big part of Lima’s culture, its food, its people, and lifestyle.

Patrucco explains, “I’m a painter who is influenced by his surroundings, and the disorganization of Latin American cities is something that fosters my work. In my case, Lima, where I’m from, had stopped being portrayed for at least 15 years. It has grown a lot since and in a very disorderly manner. I think that along with other artists of my generation, we have been faced with the challenge to reflect on that in a creative manner, but at the same time interesting enough to find a coherent and meaningful discourse.”

His work indeed shares a level of awareness to what is currently happening in Lima, which has become overcrowded with housing, buildings, people, and even cars. Patrucco’s work holds a suspension of nostalgia that comes from the people portrayed, who seem to be trying to adapt to all these changes while holding on to something precious to them; peace and tranquility. In the paintings, they achieve this state of mind by being with friends and family, or through simply being present in that moment while appreciating the simple things in life that bring joy.

The paintings are in very soft colors, which serve as a symbol for the emotions behind the setting, like a peacefulness of being at the beach even though there’s so many people there, there’s a cohesive sense of collective peace for the people portrayed.

When living in a changing city since there’s no time to stop and smell the roses, which is essentially what his paintings are doing. They are forcing the viewer to look at the details of the moment and grasp the experience. A little girl grasping her wet bathing suit while looking into the distance, a man staring at the sea of people at the beach, including the beach goers and churro boy. These among other examples create a sense of peace within themselves vs. their environment.

Patrucco uses with oil paints on canvas and the black and white is pencil on canvas. When asked about his process, he says, “When you first begin, you try to find your own voice in a sufficiently impactful and different manner. Then, you notice that what matters most is being able to work all the time while nourishing yourself with the small things in life and most of all to enjoy the process and not detach your soul or exercise your inner self to do it, but to work in a disciplined and coherent manner.”

Patrucco’s paintings force the city dweller to stop and smell the roses; something a city resident often doesn’t have time for. They are forcing the viewer to look at the details of the moment and grasp the experience. A little girl grasping her wet bathing suit while looking into the distance, a man staring at the sea of people at the beach, including the beach goers and the ice cream boy. These among other examples create a sense of peace within themselves versus their environment.

The paintings are in very soft colors, which serve as a symbol for the emotions behind the setting, like a peacefulness of being at the beach even though there’s so many people there, there’s a cohesive sense of collective peace for the people portrayed.

For more of the artist’s work, please check out his website. This interview was translated from Spanish.

Today’s poem is inspired by Pablo’s depth of emotion surrounding Lima, a city by the sea: 

MAR

By Luis Hernández

Entre la sombra voy 
                Juan Ramón Jiménez

 1

REFLEJOS SOBRE EL AGUA

 Las franjas suaves del agua
se pierden en la orilla.
– Es posible vivir;
está húmedo el aire
y reseca la arena….
– El viento trae gotas
fugaces y salinas.

El mar antes surgía,
sereno sin ser visto,
mi amor por él, ahora,
olvidará hasta el cielo.

El agua antes cantaba
infiltrada en la arena;
hoy, la busco hasta a ella
por el mar no saciado.

Ayer vimos las ondas
que subían perfectas,
hoy
nuestros pies las perturban,
nuestros cuerpos las quiebran,

Está el mar muy amargo,
hemos bebido
en un día sus aguas,
pisado sus riberas.

2

La última onda,
limpia y azul,
ha caído tan cerca
de mí
que puedo sentir
su pensamiento.

3

Vuelvo mi rostro,
arriba…
abajo en el fondo
pétreo y salino del pozo,
oriónidas estrellas
se hunden en la noche.

y 4

He cubierto en el mas
el vacío
entre estrella y estrella
creyéndolas mías;
mas la noche muere
y estoy tan solo
como antes.

A Walk in the Rainforest

Figure 1. One of Brugmann’s mural in Brazil.

The South American landscape is both a natural gift and a mysterious force. For many South Americans, the tropics of the rainforest represent the heart of a continent that has endured so much socially, environmentally, and politically. As each country continues to evolve from setbacks, the artists living there remind us of the beauty and resilience that’s very much present within the people, the scenery, and the culture.

Argentine artist Miriam Brugmann is part of a forward thinking sociopolitical mentality, which seeps through the messages in her work. As a resident of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, her main muse is the verdant landscape surrounding her. Brugmann’s ceramics and paintings connect us with a mystical and beautiful world she creates to embody the liveliness of South American life; one that is constantly immersed in the unapologetic lifestyle of the people, the music, the appreciation for nature, and the streets of Brazil.

At the beginning of her career, Brugmann focused on paintings and illustrations. She then moved on to ceramics by creating utilitarian items such as flowerpots, cups, and plates. But something changed in her imaginative process and called her to become more message/goal driven with her work.

“There wasn’t a big creative process and it was all very basic, which wasn’t making me happy. I wasn’t conveying what I really wanted to get across. So I began creating unique ceramic pieces and I also returned to painting and making murals, leading me to the creative process again. I started finding and defining my style and focusing on what I wanted to communicate. Right now I’m between ceramics, illustrations and murals,” she explains.

Brugmann channels the spirit of her environments in her work as an avid observer of how everything represents a force beyond the ordinary; from the variety of plants to the colorful animals, to the empowered stance of Latin American women.

Figure 2. The artist and her work.

She adds, “Nature and the Brazilian landscape are crucial to my work, especially Bahia, which is very exuberant, and also Rio. There are a lot of mountains, trees and nature is everywhere. It’s very lavish. You’re looking at it the whole time and the images stay with me and go directly to the work I’m making.”

The rainforest elements in Brugmann’s work are a symbol of refuge that encourage viewers to connect with their roots and to embrace who they are today in relation to the culture from which their ancestors come from.

Figure 3. Ceramic pieces are part of Brugmann’s artistic talents.

Her ceramics are inspired by pre-Columbian pottery from Peru and Mexico. A style she first fell in love with at the Museo Rocsen in Córdoba, Argentina, which houses a collection of over 18,000 pieces of archaeological objects from all around the world. One can see where the inspiration emerged for her ceramics, as pieces from ancient Mexico and the Inca empire often portrayed daily details about how people lived and their environment/resources. When you observe Brugmann’s creations, you notice a sense of strength and beauty that capture the native life and its connectivity with nature and a higher ancient power. Her creations tell us that there’s so much to learn when it comes to culture, and if you look past the superficial elements you’ll find a world thriving in its organic existence beyond stereotypes and any social or political struggle.

A strong overarching theme in Brugmann’s artwork also points to female empowerment.  She explains, “[In my work] the care and respect for nature are aspects that were always present. And women, well it can be translated to something feminist like a message… there’s a support and a presence for that cause in my life.”

Figure 4. Empowering messages for the people of Latin America are important in Brugmann’s work.

The women portrayed in her paintings resemble mythical beings with a strong mission to positively affect their lives and communities. Some embody a messenger or spirit animal quality to them. With angelic wings and a fierce stare, these pieces evoke strength and a connection to native cultures, including those indigenous to the rainforest. They represent women who are in touch with their inner power by fending for themselves, the animals, and nature overall in a peaceful yet assertive manner by prioritizing mother nature in a similar way the native people of South America did since pre-Columbian times.

In a way, Brugmann’s work shares the evolution of these women, who like myself, have witnessed social change that hasn’t always been in our favor. Yet thanks to these transitions, more South American women feel revolutionized to embrace their inner power while creating resistance and awareness on human rights and the rights of many generations of women to come.

Explore more of Brugmann’s work by visiting her page. All photos courtesy of the artist.

* Interview translated from Spanish.

The following prose is inspired by the strength and love of nature found in Miriam’s artwork:

at the maracuyá tree

By claudina milagros

On the left side of the maracuyá tree sits my mother,

Her face reflects anxiety of the past.

I tell her she raised two strong daughters who turned into mothers

And that painting those neon floral tablecloths at the market was her artistic gift.

She smiles and pours fresh soil at the base of the tree.

Humidity is in the air.

On the right side of the maracuyá tree sits my sister,

Her peaceful face reflects hidden fear of what’s to come.

I tell her she raised two resilient boys, and that she makes a rainy day seem sunny with her laughter.

She smiles and waters the soil all around the tree.

In front of the maracuyá tree stands my reflection

It asks, “What do you see?”

“ I see discernment in the eyes of the moon and the sun. A woman whose work has been transformed but is not yet done,” I reply.

A ripe maracuyá falls at my feet. My toes are sprinkled with soil.

I pick it up along with my shovel. I walk, dig and plant a small fig tree.

For another mother, another sister, another friend and another daughter.

The cerulean bird follows my steps as I walk towards home

My hand guided by the burning sun behind the lush trees of the rainforest.

*Note: maracuyá is passion fruit in Spanish.