Nocturnal Spring Gardens

As a Mexican woman, growing up in a conservative catholic society I realize my identity enmeshes with the collective which is based on social constructs that have historically governed the lives of women. I started creating small gardens in my studio, constructing installations with flowers recreating the light of the Dutch masters. Like much of art throughout the ages gardens have provided a canvas to create an atmosphere for the stories in our lives. In the gardens I build the flowers create oneiric scenes are metaphors of my internal exploration. The project is inspired by Ovid's Fausti, when he asks Flora, Goddess of flowers, to tell him her story she replies, that she was a nymph, Chloris, in the happy field, when Zephyrus violently takes her. However he makes up for it by making her his wife. "I have no complaint of my marriage bed, Spring I enjoy always." In Boticelli's Primavera, Zephyr's is is taking a very frightened Chloris, and from her mouth, dark foliage comes out. I take this as a metaphor to speak through flowers. Death and darkness occupy a central rol symbolizing personal and collective awakenings. What happens when the eternal spring loses its charm?