Print Llevamé Al Río (2023) A4

This painting is about the feeling of melancholy, powerlessness ('onmacht' in dutch, I feel like there's no accurate English translation) and feeling numb during certain times. But not just that, it has a whole lot of symbolism and statements that make me feel super powerful regardless of the tristezza of the topic.

Visually it's inspired by the mexican folklore La Llorona (The weeping lady). La Llorona wanders the waters in her veil, crying out for her lost children. In my painting a woman is laying in her bedroom, overwhelmed by a sense of sadness but somehow she seems accepting of that state of mind. The bedsheets are draped like a veil and her tears are flowing abundantly creating a flowing river. The moon is the light- and energy source here, referencing to back in the day when hysteria/lunacy was linked to the moon and women were dubbed as hysterical for every small display of emotion. Menstrual cycles are often linked to the moon, implying that during a certain moonfase women would indeed feel more intens emotion (+- lutheal fase). The moon is a feminine symbol, linked throughout history and recent research to our sleep and mood.

La Llorona is a powerfull folklore, as it has been told by many communities in different ways, the nuances of each version reflect the circumstances of the community it has been told from. The tale of La Llorona can be seen as an instrument, via which you can tell (a bit of) your own story. So powerful.

100x120cm acrylics on canvas, 2023