Self-________________
aware, sabotage, actualization, conscious, expression, worth, pity, care, defense, delusion, contained, imposed, medicated, preservation, respect, denial, image, discovery, fulfillment, made, love…
The Weight of Silence
Presence in the weight of silence:
piano keys longing for scales in C,
hummingbird wings deadened in snow,
the burn and itch of a fresh tattoo.
Resist nostalgia–the lure of
whitewashed memories splashed
over crumbling graffiti walls.
Instead, slip under the heavy quilt,
listen for Beethoven in the hollow belly,
smell the scent of hibiscus in spring,
Vaseline the ink of that painful burn
of your loss.
— Claire Ibarra
This series focuses on the many ways that we search to define and manifest the authentic self. The exhibit allows the viewer to be a participant in discovering aspects of self and creating a narrative.
Some of the images reveal how struggles with mental health, societal expectations and norms, and isolation can manifest outwardly. There is also an exploration of the duality inherent in human nature, expressed through both the conscious and subconscious.
There are physical features, especially in landscapes, that are desolate. One can find grace, as well as expansiveness and tranquility, in nature. The series expresses this beauty, while also acknowledging the void that comes from isolation.
Claire has always been drawn to storytelling as a means of exploring and illuminating the human condition. Her artistic life began with writing fiction, but Claire found herself moving toward poetry as she strove to distill narratives to their bare and essential essence. It seems that photography was the next logical step in that process. She has a particular fondness for the strange and stark beauty of landscapes.
Self-______________
Solo Exhibition by Claire Ibarra
February 15- March 10, 2024
Opening Reception:
Saturday, February 17 from 1-5pm
900 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO