“El Latir de un Lugar Desconocido” is a self-portrait that illustrates the complexity of meeting new people. I have portrayed myself as a living space and provide the viewer with symbols of whom I am. The space itself is a representation of the houses that I grew up around in Colombia, especially those in old towns that still preserve original style. There are symbols set in space such as el sombrero volteado (a traditional hat from Colombia), the Colombian flag, the Andean Condor, and the cattleya orchid, directly introduces my cultural identity as Colombian. However, there are more subtle symbols, such as time, a radio, an apple, the leaking of the sky onto the foreground, the space within space, and the obstruction of complete admiration of an area, that personally define whom I am.

 

Finally, the little person inside the heart is the essence of whom I am. Coming to Canada physically separated me from my roots, but at the same time it made my personal connection and identity as a Colombian stronger; the little person is the reason why my living space exists.

 

The viewer is invited to see and explore the areas within the space, but some of these areas are wide open while others have limited visibility. The apparent opposition within the space and the triptych separation of the composition into sky, earth/space and ground, it is still a part of one single living space. The goal of this piece is not to tell you "this is who I am, now you know me" but rather it aims to let you see me as I am, even if you do not understand it.