Denisse Sandoval: ‘Cuento 37 – Retorno Victorioso’
Audio description of ‘Cuento 37 – ‘Retorno Victorioso’ by Denisse Sandoval
‘Cuento 37 – ‘Retorno Victorioso’ by Denisse Sandoval
Artist’s statement in both languages
El planeta Jupiter’s orbit comes around cada 12 años. The return of this planet is meant to bring us luck. On my 6th return of Jupiter, at 36 years of age, I had a very unlucky year. After months of grieving loss, and then turning 37, I saw that loss was a gain. Cuento 37 - El Retorno Victorioso, is one of several collages made during Melbourne’s lockdown, and it is the seventh collage in the series depicting my transformation from grief to joy. Whilst tentatively stepping out of fear and danger I pondered this collage. It was constructed from old passport photos captured throughout the years, a calendar featuring healing flowers used in traditional Chinese medicine, a letter from a friend who came all the way from Texas to visit me, and gold spray paint, all glued and painted on an old poster I found in the rubbish. Each little piece I cut out has intentional meaning and represents a moment from those past 12 years. In making and expressing this through art I am healing myself.
Artist’s statement in English only
Jupiter’s orbit comes around every 12 years. The return of this planet is meant to bring us luck. On my 6th return of Jupiter, at 36 years of age, I had a very unlucky year. After months of grieving loss, and then turning 37, I saw that loss was a gain. This is one of several collages made during Melbourne’s lockdown, and it is the seventh collage in the series depicting my transformation from grief to joy. Whilst tentatively stepping out of fear and danger I pondered this collage. It was constructed from old passport photos captured throughout the years, a calendar featuring healing flowers used in traditional Chinese medicine, a letter from a friend who came all the way from Texas to visit me, and gold spray paint, all glued and painted on an old poster I found in the rubbish. Each little piece I cut out has intentional meaning and represents a moment from those past 12 years. In making and expressing this through art I am healing myself.
Denisse Sandoval was born in Santiago, Chile and was raised in Brentwood, New York. She now lives on Wurundjeri land. As an immigrant growing up in a very multicultural neighbourhood, she has been interested in the concepts of identity and belonging for many years. She has worked as a community organiser and healer, only recently discovering the joy of collage-art for healing trauma.