Michelle Elizondo
Kindred Companions
There are a variety of methods people have used to grapple with his or her own brokenness. Some are positive and restorative while others are negative and destructive. Overall, healing relies on a relationship that is built on trust and support. A healing relationship does not necessarily come from a human.
This body of work delves into the power of the human-animal bond. For some people, vulnerability is difficult. When someone opens up and becomes vulnerable to another human, they are risking judgment, rejection, and harm among other things. Therefore, it is easier to expose one’s true self to an animal: a being that holds no judgement and offers unconditional love. In the images, glow in the dark paint is used to emphasize emotions, state of mind, and change over time. By using glow in the dark paint, one is able to see the underlying emotions that are not always seen and the transformative power of the animal’s presence. As time goes on, certain parts of the painting will reveal itself. The colors begin to fade to allow the other colors to become more prevalent. Certain emotions that were there disappear and are replaced with something else. Depending on when the painting is viewed, it will appear to be completely different painting which is similar to how a person adapts and changes throughout the day. That quality is used to show how mental/emotional change happens over time.
This exhibition was sponsored in part by www.artnglow.com
