More about Musophobia, 2021
"Since I started working on my series EAST MEETS WEST and studying the figure of the Buddhist bodhisattva Guanyin, I noticed how this deity has been represented in a quite hieratic and solemn manner. Guanyin is always linked to water, either floating over it or a lotus flower. In this case, she sits on a rock by the water. "Inspired by a group of terracotta sculptures, Lamentation over the Dead Christ, by Niccolò dell'Arca that I saw in Bologna at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita, I wanted to incorporate an element of movement and dramatism into this new piece. I asked myself what would happen if Guanyin suffered from musophobia (strong dislike of mice or rats) and she was approached by Mickey Mouse. Here Guanyin recoils on the same rock where Mickey mouse climbs, in a response of fear and horror due to her musophobia. "Again, in this work there is a juxtaposition of iconography within a narrative that construct a rich metaphor. A Deity terrified by the vision of a cartoon character that was originally created to bring a smile to everyone's faces, and to make any possible dream come true... "My work comes from a study of Western and Eastern Iconography, art history, religion and visual culture; incorporating both subject matter and the techniques used. I worked in porcelain in this series, deliberately emulating the Blanc de Chine porcelain, produced in Dehua, province of Fujian since the 17th C. I feel that what I produce now in my studio reflects my observations of contemporary art and interest in global culture." Enrique Perezalba Red, 2022More Works for Sale
