"The only way out is through '' is a series of five works I did compulsively, while getting ready to hold a workshop on recycling by creating collages. So, I took what I had in hand, and I collect a lot of garbage, and did whatever came to mind.
For the first one, I wanted to create a classic paper collage, but couldn't stop myself from adding 3 dimensional elements. I call this work "Think happy thoughts'' because it started from the idea of capturing a feel of childhood, but that time of my life is unsafe to go to for my mind and it turned into a jungle of thoughts (the paper balls) with snaps of what any superficial spiritual person would advise you to do when feeling anxious, like yoga, relax, take a break.
The second work I made does not have a name. It does not need one. I started to create a jumble of paper and cardboard, and finally added cut silhouette drawn after stills from the video performance I was supposed to be working on at that time. I describe it as "the garbage from my mind with occasional moments of focus on a dance that is not supposed to be a dance".
The third work is the one that gives the title of the series "The only way out is through '' and it went through several stages. I did not have any idea what I was doing when I started. I wanted to cover some pieces of cardboard with random bits of paper and then "sew" them together with branches. It ended up looking like a tunnel that I populated with more garbage and placed a kinder toy representing a kneeling girl inside. Later I took it out, and replaced it with another toy representing a dragon head with a cape for body. The cape that got tangled in the branches and covered with paper represents the baggage we carry from past generations, childhood and whatever happened along our life until the point we find ourselves stuck in a dark place where it can be weirdly comfortable to settle, because there is no way back and it is incredibly painful to pull through to the other side since you have to rip yourself from the baggage you carry, which is most of who you are or identify with at that point.
The forth work was created in parallel with the third as both involved a lot of waiting for the paper to dry. It is called "I'm OK" and it represents my mind, as all the works in this series do. It's my mind with a lot of waste dripping from the otherwise clean spaces in my brain. There is a kinder toy balancing on top. It represents my manic self during my period of depression and what most people saw. She is balancing precariously on top of everything. Somewhere underneath is the child inside, kneeling in a space almost completely closed, with only a slight opening through which the mess of thoughts are slowly burying it. There are two clean spaces left : the base and the one protected by creativity and imagination. One could argue that this is part of the child, but it's something different. It's what kept the child alive to become an adult and get here where it may be able to heal ...maybe.
The fifth work is called "Oh, the possibilities" and it's a two headed monster looking at itself.
