Heart-Shaped Bouquet
Ani S.
Clay, Acrylic Paint, Varnish, Perler Beads, Plastic Bag, Paper-mâché, Dried leaves, Construction Paper, Yarn, Metal Stand, Felt, Cotton, Thread, Ribbon, Cellophane
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Growing up, children are exposed to the romanticized idea of love and shielded from its imperfections. Many Disney movies often follow the same formula, where the protagonist meets their one true love and lives happily ever after. As I grow up, I recognize that love is not that simple, it comes with its own set of hardships that we must learn to navigate. Love is not “happily ever after”, it takes work and it’s often difficult. The realistic heart in the center of the bouquet represents this reality, depicting love as something visceral, raw, and gruesome. The symbolic hearts surrounding it represents the different ways we try to embellish love and relationships in our heads, how we try to “dress up” our hearts and attempt to make them always appear perfect and sweet. My piece represents this idealized version of love that surrounds the reality of it.
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For me, creativity is the ability to connect with my most whimsical, innermost self, and being able to share it with others.
