Juan Carlos Delgado--Part Two

I enjoyed reading this article about Delgado much more than viewing the previous website. As I mentioned in a prior blog, I thought that his work was a little cryptic, and for that reason, I had difficulty understanding all but a few of his pieces. In art, being able to have something to go on in order to contemplate the meaning of the artwork is very important. However, I found that I got a lot out of his work by reading the article and quotes from Delgado himself (I complained in my last blog about not being able to read about any of the pieces, as that further hinders my ability to understand them.) While the exact meanings of the pieces were not given away (if there were exact meanings--sometimes artwork describes a broad feeling that cannot be explained) I found that by reading about the pieces, I wanted to look at them more and think to myself what they could possibly be about, and how they connect to me and my life.

Since I preferred the piece listed called "Cuarto Norte," I will talk about that one instead of his other artwork. Since prison bars are a symbol that many have deep feelings about and associations with, I would have been intrigued by this piece even without knowing its context. At first glance, it seems to represent solitude, exclusion, being trapped, etc. However, the piece becomes even more interesting when you find out that "Cuarto Norte" is also the name of the psychiatric wing of a military hospital. I have known and been close to several friends and family members who have either been to a psychiatric ward, or have suffered from mental issues. One of the people that I am most close with is currently battling several mental disorders, and despite years of therapy and attempting to get better, he cannot overcome the obstacles that life has put forth to him. Anyone who has been in a similar situation will know how heartbreaking it is to see someone you love suffering, so I definitely felt connected to the piece when I found out more about it. The article even says that Delgado was connected to that place by a personal experience that does not deserve to be mentioned. Due to my own experiences, I feel that nothing is lost by not knowing his exact connection to that place. Knowing the basic gist of what that piece is about gets one to contemplate the paths in life that lead many into such a dark place. The lack of knowledge of the artist's own experience makes the piece seem to be more about that place and the people there in general, as opposed to it being based solely on his own experience. I was also in awe after reading some of his quotes about his artwork. In one (translated from Spanish, but I cannot promise it to be exact) he stated, "After the cold, there is always an exit (a solution that can be to be healthy, to be stable, or even death.)" This was made referencing his use of fire and ice in the pieces. I found that statement absolutely beautiful, not because it talks about a subject that is beautiful, but because it tells the truth. While the statement may not be entirely optomistic, it is beautiful in its own sad, but true way.