THE LADY WITH THE ARMADILLO (2013, graphite on Ingres paper, 50 × 70 cm)

Proserpina
The Lady represents Proserpina, wife of Hades, god of the Underworld. She appears beneath a Gothic arch made of pomegranate fruits, symbols of fidelity in Greek mythology, though in this case they grow from a lemon tree —a plant associated with serenity and light. The Lady inhabits an intimate atmosphere and holds an armadillo, which timidly opens itself in her hands, entrusting itself to the serenity and gentleness that emanate from her. She cradles it on the left side of her chest, close to her heart.

Armadillo
In the Middle Ages, when the armadillo was first encountered in the New World, it was considered a strange animal from the Underworld. Thus, the Lady and the armadillo are linked by their shared subterranean associations. This work represents an essential opening to love, from the inner depths of being outward toward the surface —toward the encounter with the other.

Weightlessness
A detail from the drawing highlights the sense of weightlessness emanating from the Lady’s hands: she does not hold the animal firmly, but rather seems to suspend it, half-open, at the height of her heart. This weightlessness symbolizes the current of love radiating from her body, gently enveloping the armadillo. Overcome by this current —which contradicts its instinct for self-protection— the armadillo desires to be consumed by love.