Midterm Project

The subject of my midterm project focuses on symbolism and surrealism, much like Frida Kahlo. I decided to create a scene where I had lung surgery. The content of my image contains The Virgin Mary, a ladybug, a plant on a shelf, me in a hospital bed with my lungs exposed, a cross, an hourglass, and an IV stand. All of these images represent something that helped me get through my surgery. The scene that I’ve created was inspiration from Frida Kahlo’s The Flying Bed. I have also dug a little deeper in Kahlo’s museum and learned that she and Diego collected pieces of artwork called Ex-Voto’s. Ex-Voto paintings are Catholic folk-art that show scenes of people’s accidents or misfortune that is later fixed by the presence of God or a Saint. Each painting has a description below the scene, describing the unfortunate event that has occurred and giving thanks to the divine entity that appears in the painting. Frida Kahlo was inspired by the Ex-Voto’s and so was I, because the artwork is memorabilia of a pivotal moment in a person’s life. So, I decided to make one of my own and also added a bit of Frida Kahlo flair to it. The techniques I used was mixed media. I had painted the background on a canvas with acrylic, used different images, a sticker, and plastic string. I used a stencil to get a constant motif for the flooring. I manipulated the images to look as if they were handpainted.

    This project represents me because it was a crucial moment in my life. I had a very scary experience where I couldn’t breathe at all. It felt like my chest was collapsing. I was only 9 years old when this happened. My mother took me to a doctor to get this issue fixed immediately, but he made a slight mistake during my surgery on my lungs. I needed a second surgery after to have my lungs functioning again. I was taught in a Catholic school during the time, so I looked up to the Virgin Mary. I prayed to her before I went for my second time, hoping that the doctors can save my life (Which is why she appears in the corner, still attached to my heart). I felt like she watched me from afar while the doctor had worked (Which is the significance of the IV stand in my arm). I was lucky to have survived the second time, I needed that luck (the ladybug on my shoulder signifies luck. It is an old Catholic tale that ladybugs are a sign of luck from The Virgin Mary because of it’s 7 black spots). The doctors have managed to get my lungs to function again (the plant on the shelf signifies air). However, the process of healing took long and it was very painful (the hourglass means time).

    The colors of the strings are also symbolic. The black that is tied around my wrist and the hourglass signify uncertainty and fear. I was unsure of when I was going to get better and I was scared that I might not breathe again. The blue attaching The Virgin Mary to my heart means divinity. I am devoted to Mary with all of my heart. The white attaching my nose to the plant means purity. I was breathing fresh air after my surgery. The red signifies my suffering during the surgery. All of these elements that connect to me fought against time to save my life and I will always be grateful for that.