In sophomore year, I took a sculpture class as part of my studio art portion of my degree. One of my favorite pieces I made in that class was called “Princess in a Cage”, the title is self explanatory: I made a small figure of a princess made out of wire and string, sitting in a sphere of colorful wire with flowers and butterflies. Thick, copper wire encased the sphere and princess, appearing sort of a monstrous entity that wanted to consume.
After I finished that piece, a part of me wanted to adapt it into a different form of medium, or continue the narrative that the sculpture was expressing. The viewer could interpret the piece however they wanted, and I was quiet intrigued by what my peers thought of it when it was critique. My thought process behind the piece reflected childhood innocence, how sometimes we’re in a “bubble” of goodness and happiness, unaware of what lies in the outside world.
Escapism is a concept I’ve wanted to explore for a while now, since I’m sure some of us have used imagination to escape the unpleasantries of the world. One of my favorite films is Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labrynth, which has themes of escapism, fantasy, innocence, and the brutality of war. The protagonist, Ofelia, goes on a magical quest like the ones in her fairytales in a hostile, post-Spanish Civil War setting.
As for the continuation of “Princess in a Cage”, I wanted to delve into the concept of escapism, choosing oil paint as my medium of choice. My intention is to focus more on the unnamed princess herself, as she was the core in my wire piece. It’s still a work in progress, but I have a rough sketch down of the figure, as well as the colors I may implement.