Artist inspiration:
Mon Petit Piaf translates from French to mean, “My Little Sparrow”. I have taken and canonized a real-life person, Caridad (known to herself as Queen Esther from the Bible), as the virgin who represents all the souls who suffer and struggle with Mental Illness. She stands as an advocate and pleads for the health and guidance of all who have walked down the road less traveled of the surreal world of schizophrenia; that in itself is a work of art. She sings praise and glory to the Most High with the pages from the book of Psalms as her background, while Mon Petit Piaf sings the words from a song called “El Cuidara de Mi” (He Shall Watch Over Me). These lyrics are written across the entire canvas and take off with the French words “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” which means, “No, I Regret Nothing”. The sacrificial lamb sings on as she pleads for the lives and safety of all who call upon her and at the same time releases her own spirit from the chains that bind her into the very life she seeks to be freed from. Mon Petit Piaf is based on a true-to-life story. –

Image:
– Installation pictured above at miArte Gallery during the 2008 exhibit, “Contexto: Language as Art.”
– Image shown is not professionally digitized, with no intention. Item is one of a kind.

Other images:
– Photograph of me taken by Carlos Manuel Cardenes for inclusion in his book (cover pictured above) titled “FACES 100+ Cuban Artists”.