The Problem of Freedom
Alejandro Figueredo Díaz-Perera
When looking at an ironing machine I had a moment of Pareidolia: the shape of the thing reminded me of la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, a religious icon from Cuba that resembles the Virgin Mary. The piece is divided in two energies, the iron produces artificial energy in the form of heat and the religious icon produces spiritual energy in the form of symbols in our minds. I originally intended to have it made in copper due to the high conductivity, but because of time and cost constraints I had it made in bronze, next editions will be produced in copper.
Both the iron and the icon are related to maternity, at least for me, as my mother would iron my shirts to go to school when I was a kid, which speaks to how much one person has influence over the other person’s behavior and how they are perceived. It is interesting that the only reason why we had a bible in our house, in a communist country, was because of my grandmother being both a believer in communism and a catholic at the same time. It is a form of doublethink but is the kind of mental acrobats one has to do to remain true to oneself both as an individual and as a social creature.
Both the iron and the icon are related to maternity, at least for me, as my mother would iron my shirts to go to school when I was a kid, which speaks to how much one person has influence over the other person’s behavior and how they are perceived. It is interesting that the only reason why we had a bible in our house, in a communist country, was because of my grandmother being both a believer in communism and a catholic at the same time. It is a form of doublethink but is the kind of mental acrobats one has to do to remain true to oneself both as an individual and as a social creature.
Untitled, 2021
bronze
12 x 5 x 6 in 30.5 x 12.7 x 15.2 cm
bronze
12 x 5 x 6 in 30.5 x 12.7 x 15.2 cm
