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04. Delicate Glisten
date. October 2019
city. Toronto, Ontario
size. 45" x 48"
type. Installation
Purpose.
This installation is a piece that shows the beauty of El Cocal. The opportunity for growth is seen by the strength and resilience of its community members. This is why my project focuses on the individual people, memories from the community, and the time we spent with the people. Each individual holds a different story and perspective, all beautiful in their own way. On the exterior, El Cocal has been perceived as a dangerous place, but you must look past what others perceive and make your own perceptions. This community is filled with talented, loving people and this installation is meant to highlight and create a perception that is beautiful and unique. The hidden beauty of El Cocal is centered in the people. Each Costa Rican 10 piece Colones represents the complex tale of an individual. Each coin has its own history and reflectivity, just like each family and person in El Cocal. By using images and materials from the community, the piece has a unique and genuine beauty to it, a beauty that can’t be re-created without having truly experienced the town and people itself.
When creating the installation, I focused on the coins. The coins are placed relative to the individual families of the area, each unique with their own story. Some coins are worn, some are new and shiny, and some have dents and bumps. This correlates to the people of the town - each having their own story of how they came to be in El Cocal. Each person we spoke to shared an enthusiasm and dedication to create a positive atmosphere and change in the community. In the piece, the blue road connects the coins together as the road does in the community connecting the families and the individuals. On their own, they are only one coin, but together they create a community of hope and possibility. Each coin shines off the road and one another to create a whole piece of connectivity. To add a more personal touch to the piece, some coins have images imposed on them of the people we met in El Cocal or specific moments that are connected to the people. The images are vital and memorable members of the community that we met while on our journey, each reflecting something unique that makes El Cocal what it truly is.
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