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Maria De Castro
www.mariadecastro.com
Artist Name: Maria De Castro
Title of Piece: A Gathering of Muses (4 figures)
Media: clay
Dimensions: 12”W x 47”H x 12”D
Retail Price: $5,000 + tax (each figure)
Artist’s Statement: “A Gathering of Muses” is part of a larger series currently in progress entitled “Birdhead Babies.” There will be about 50 to100 figures, each with a different bird head representing extinct, endangered, and the more common birds, grouped together discussing environmental, social, parental, political, and cultural issues of our time. Like a canary in a coal mine, birds sense the first sign of trouble on our planet. Through their travels, they are directly exposed to the effects of man on the environment. Blending cultures, religions, ethnicities, beliefs, and icons into one harmonious piece reflects my desire for a harmonious world. Souvenirs and artifacts collected from all over the world were used to make stamps and impressions to create the designs and textures used on the figures. The anthropomorphic figures explore the relationship of humanity and nature to current environmental issues such as global warming, resource depletion, overpopulation, and loss of habitat.
Artist Bio: The images of my work reflect my fascination with the mystery of relics and ancient artifacts. The “Feminine Sacred” is also an integral recurrent theme I draw upon. I am captivated by humanity’s reverence for the divine female. The ruins and museums I visited in Crete, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Asia, Egypt, Africa, and elsewhere around the world have served as some of my strongest influences. The treasures found in archaeological digs have incredible stories to tell. I try to capture the feeling one gets when seeing an artifact, the reverence and spirituality invoked by such pieces. Intrigued with the crossover of cultures, religions, ethnicities, and beliefs, I use icons and symbolisms to meld them all into a single piece to reflect my desire for a harmonious world. The anthropomorphic figures explore the relationship of humanity and nature to current environmental issues such as global warming, resource depletion, overpopulation, and loss of habitat.
Photos: Rachel Cobb |
