Audio description of ‘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 decided to leave my husband, whom I had been with for 12 years. It felt like a very unlucky year. But after months of grieving this loss, and then turning 37, I saw that loss as 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 wife to divorcee, from family of three to single mother, from victim to feminist, and 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. Me siento sola en Australia, toda mi familia están repartidos en Chile, en Nueva York, y en la Florida. The immigrant experience of being alone in Australia exacerbates the pain of loss and pronounces a state of fear. In making and expressing this through art I am healing myself.

Artist’s statement in English only

Planet 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 decided to leave my husband, whom I had been with for 12 years. It felt like a very unlucky year. But after months of grieving this loss, and then turning 37, I saw that loss as a gain. Story 37 – The Victorious Return, is one of several collages  made during Melbourne’s lockdown, and it is the seventh collage in the series depicting my transformation, from wife to divorcee, from family of three to single mother, from victim to feminist, and 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. I feel alone in Australia, all of my family is spread out over New York, Florida and Chile. The immigrant experience of being alone in Australia exacerbates the pain of loss and pronounces a state of fear. 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 with her daughter. 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.