ARIANA ISABELLA LOPEZ

COVID-19 exposed many interpersonal relationship issues, from family to love lives. My work highlights my desire for vulnerability, honesty, and connection within my relationships. This need for closeness stems from the isolating effect of the pandemic and how it continues to modify how we interact with one another. I aim to pursue the importance of trust and intimacy as a contractor in establishing the longevity of healthy relationships. However, it is also important to highlight relationships’ obstacles and conflicts. I want to demonstrate the duality of relationships.

Color plays an important role in my work. I use color as a device to explore dualities that are inherent within relationships. I use bright colors to signify longevity within healthy and thriving relationships. Expressive and fragile line weight within my drawings indicates the fragility of relationships. As the interwoven lines mesh with one another, the structure becomes stronger. As fragility weaves together resembles a strengthening of bonds. I use darker pigmented oil pastels or charcoal; I am depicting a confrontation or struggle in a relationship that is going toxic and decaying. I explore line weight, color application, and material heft through various media, from oil pastel to charcoal.

The main goal of my work is to talk about the phases in relationships, how they are good, and how they can go badly. They can be so beautiful and so hard to navigate. They can even go toxic and end in heart-breaking, unceremonious ways. Nonetheless, they are essential to everyone’s quality of life.

Decay, found object, 11 x