{"id":90867,"date":"2024-11-28T15:33:28","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T15:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.modernartoxford.org.uk\/cms\/?p=90867"},"modified":"2024-11-29T09:57:30","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T09:57:30","slug":"a-look-closer-allusions-in-belkis-ayons-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.modernartoxford.org.uk\/cms\/a-look-closer-allusions-in-belkis-ayons-work\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look Closer: Hidden References in Belkis Ay\u00f3n’s work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Throughout Sik\u00e1n Illuminations<\/em>, Belkis Ay\u00f3n often references well known scenes and imagery from art history. Here we begin to unpick these allusions to take a closer look into Ay\u00f3n’s captivating world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First up, let’s take a look at La Familia<\/em>, 1999.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

At first glance, the image depicts Princess Sik\u00e1n seated on a chair, with Mbori- the goat sacrificed alongside her in the Abaku\u00e1 myth- curled at her feet. The way the goat wraps around her suggests a symbolic unity between them. Besides her stands a paternal figure. Ay\u00f3n creates a traditional portrait composition to signify the power balance and strength of the figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The triangular arrangement of the figures recalls classic depictions of the Holy Family in Christian art. However, Ay\u00f3n subverts this familiar composition by weaving in Afro-Cuban iconography, firmly establishing Sik\u00e1n and her father as central to the spiritual framework of the Abaku\u00e1 religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we look closer, we see Ay\u00f3n’s work echoes Gauguin’s portraits, particularly his Portrait of Annah the Javanese (1894). Having attended art school in Havana, Ay\u00f3n particularly admired the work of the French painter Paul Gauguin (1848-1903).<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In Gauguin’s painting, Annah sits awkwardly on a chair, naked, her pose shaped by the male artist’s gaze. Her defiant expression suggests agency, but the power dynamics of the scene – her role as subject to Gauguin’s portrayal-reflect the colonial and objectifying lens through which she was viewed. Modern critics have called out the exploitative aspects of Gauguin’s work, especially his depictions of non-European women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In La Familia, Ay\u00f3n draws parallels between Sik\u00e1n and Annah through the similar seated pose. Is she challenging Gaughain’s objectifying gaze? Is she portraying Sik\u00e1n as dignified? As spiritual? As vulnerable?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Next up, La Cena (The Supper) <\/em>1991.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

La Cena<\/em> is Ay\u00f3n\u2019s first large-scale collograph depicting an Abaku\u00e1 ritual. The scene features nine women and one man, the Leopard Man – a symbol of patriarchal power – who has broken tradition by consuming the sacred fish, Tanze. The women, gathered for a ceremony, appear surprised and unsettled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The composition and title evoke The Last Supper<\/em>, Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s iconic mural, which captures the moment after Jesus reveals one disciple will betray him. In The Last Supper<\/em>, emotions of anger, shock, and disbelief ripple through the gathering. In La Cena<\/em>, Ay\u00f3n replaces Jesus with Sik\u00e1n, who gazes out at the viewer with wide, captivating eyes. By connecting the two works and placing Sik\u00e1n in the role of the savior, Ay\u00f3n elevates her as a central figure in Abaku\u00e1 mythology.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This parallel also invites a rethinking of traditional narratives: where The Last Supper<\/em> emphasises betrayal and redemption within a patriarchal framework, La Cena<\/em> challenges that structure by centering Sik\u00e1n, a female figure whose fate is entwined with themes of transgression, sacrifice, and power. Ay\u00f3n\u2019s reinterpretation transforms the ritualistic meal into a poignant critique of gender, authority, and societal expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Finally, let\u2019s consider Belkis Ay\u00f3n\u2019s largest work, Pa\u2019que me quieras por siempre<\/em> (To Make You Love Me Forever<\/em>), 1991.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In this piece, Ay\u00f3n draws upon the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian<\/em>, a subject famously depicted by artists such as El Greco, Botticelli, and Botticini, among others. Saint Sebastian is often portrayed as a symbol of resilience and transcendence. By referencing this iconic motif, Sik\u00e1n is cast as a martyr. In Abaku\u00e1 mythology, Sik\u00e1n was killed for discovering the sacred voice, a secret forbidden to women. Through this connection, Ay\u00f3n aligns Sik\u00e1n with the universal archetype of the martyr, highlighting the magnitude of her sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After her death, Sik\u00e1n gains power and earns the respect of the Abaku\u00e1 brotherhood, underscoring the title To Make You Love Me Forever<\/em>. The comparison to Saint Sebastian highlights both the endurance of her sacrifice and the patriarchal structures that demanded it. The work serves as a poignant tribute to Sik\u00e1n\u2019s resilience while powerfully critiquing the societal forces that sought to silence her, reflecting Ay\u00f3n\u2019s broader exploration of power, gender, and sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Belkis Ay\u00f3n: Sik\u00e1n Illuminations is on display until 9 February 2025<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this series, we unpick how Belkis Ay\u00f3n explores themes of power, sacrifice, and gender through subtle references to art history and the religious canon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":305,"featured_media":90914,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[308],"tags":[264,255,248],"class_list":["post-90867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belkis-ayon","tag-artist","tag-feminism","tag-research","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Look Closer: Hidden References in Belkis Ay\u00f3n's work - Modern Art Oxford<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Look Closer: Hidden References in Belkis Ay\u00f3n's work - 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