Interdimensional Realms
Collage on Canvas, 2017
Nightwalking and Interdimensional Realms
I am intrigued by the notion of planes of existence those proven to actually exist; planes whose existence hinges on a religious or metaphysical belief or perspective. Even those that truly are a figment of one’s active imagination.
These works are about a triad of continuously intersecting ideas that I have been contemplating for years now, regarding negotiating the planes of existence and plains of consciousness. This triad of the triple consciousness: the awareness of being a person of African and Puerto Rican descent and being a black woman within a patriarchal American society and navigating life through the skin of black and brownness.
Initially, these works were meant to provide me with a respite from social consciousness or “wokeness”. Allowing me to just create works influenced by my interest in landscapes, perspective, love of fantasy and science fiction. I desired to create faux landscapes and planes of existence, artworks reminiscent of the Bearden’s Caribbean influenced works; Eden Midnight, Purple Eden and Blue Snake, in which he focused on tropical landscapes juxtaposed the faux landscaped scenery. I personally identify with works such as In a Green Shade, because my family is from the Caribbean. I have seen, felt and been a part of these lush at times intoxicating tropical environments found in both the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
However, the reality of being Afro-Latina juxtaposed this white-patriarchal existence seeps in and ushers in primordial surges of the ancestral obligatory messaging to contextualize, to inform, to protest by referencing 40 acres and a mule, or implying the potential power of when black and brown folks protest, march and congregate.
The series Night Walking came first, https://www.amberroblesgordon.com/nightwalking. These works were my models or templates for the larger Interdimensional Realms https://www.amberroblesgordon.com/intedimensionalrealms. While creating Interdimensional Realms, I had to make a conscious choice to introduce figuration. Specifically, imagery of black females and families within this fantasy or futuristic realm simply because ... representation matters.