Graciela Cassel :: Artist Statement

Artist Statement

The Inside Out

It is transformation—if any—that effects progress. These changes do not surface on purpose; they are the result of the interaction of my unconscious and the dialogue I hold with my environment. When I consider a piece finished, with nothing else to tell, I have the uncomfortable feeling of realizing that it has resulted as an uncommon space. I do not fight the uncomfortable feeling: I let it grow and it usually does so with the help of my intuition and with the sense of balance that my eyes put in it. In the end, I find that each of my works tells a story that is related to my questions and desires. When I transform an avenue of trees into a structure that looks like a building, I create a space with different meanings. It is an unusual space, a space of dreams and imagination. In my effort to traverse these spaces, I cannot move through without risks and tensions. What makes my work different is its fearless movement.

In the series of the shadow boxes, I explored different aspects of life. I changed their name from “objects with paintings” to “shadow boxes”--- a better description of my intentions. The characters in these boxes explore their space. They seem to have expertise in making acrobatic movements, but sometimes their balance is not there and occasionally they appear to be falling. This allows me to show their psychological aspects of finding their own space. In reality, it is a trip “inside out,” where resilience and intelligence will help the characters find a way through. What appears simple becomes complex. These characters are on their journey from the conventional to the unconventional.