Esther Fuentes
Consanguineous, 2020
Acrylic paint, canvas, pen, pencil, cardboard, epoxy, frames
Dimensions variable
Consanguineous adjective con·san·guin·e·ous | \ ˌkän-ˌsan-ˈgwi-nē-əs , -ˌsaŋ- \ Definition of consanguineous: of the same blood or origin specifically : descended from the same ancestor
My relationship with each person in my family is always shifting. In this symbolic and relational family portrait, each frame and image represents an immediate family member (myself included). Rather than making a classical portrait of each family member, I chose to explore the relationship I have with each of them and the dynamics I see between them. The size of the frames and is contained within directly correlates to their importance to me and symbolizes how I understand their personality. While each frame is very different in size, materials, and style I painted them all white as a way to unite them. The overlapping frames show a connection between the two people.
The floral frame represents my mother. The vertical cut is a reference to a tubal ligation surgery (“tubes tied”) scar that she got after having me. The horizontal cut is a reference to the Caesarian birth she gave to my second oldest brother. Growing up I always asked about these scars and my mother would answer but I never really understood how monumental each one was. Even though she might not think of them that way, to me it shows how strong and powerful she is. These two scars have such an interesting relationship with one another, one is a scar that symbolizes the beginning of a new life while the other is a decision to not create life again. My mother’s frame is overlapping Keila’s frame, she is one of the two nieces depicted in this piece. To convey their closeness I literally attached the two frames. She was at the center of the piece because sometimes it feels like we are all just circling around her day and night. In this work, I intended to explore familial representations in a way that addresses people, not through their physical appearance, but rather roles in my life and how I relate to them.
