Adiós

Inspired by the loss of Linares’ beloved paternal grandfather, Adiós / Goodbye submerges in the reflections on life and its endless transformation cycles beyond death. The piece is composed of two different objects: a glass sphere, and an artist book. Together, these objects rest on a sculptural-like pedestal made out of fiberboard. 

The sphere, which represents the life form of a drop of water, when carefully opened by pulling each of its halves in opposite directions, reveals a series of beautifully interconnected circular cut out papers. These handmade treated papers, each with a unique abstract marble effect, allude not only to the representation of particles and small life forms in the water, but also to the ashes of the artist’s paternal grandfather, spread on the sea as he returns to his new home. 

Providing context and closure to the work, the artist book, which is the object that gives the title Adiós to the piece, opens its pages like a window. In contrast with its dark exterior, the interior reveals a pop of blue colors given by the marble paper effect of its end-papers. Inside, an original poem written by Linares in two languages, Spanish and English, speaks about the past and present.

The text in Spanish captures the memories that she experienced with her grandfather when he was alive; what he’s not anymore. The text in English talks about what he has transformed into: the sea, what he is now. 

Adiós tries to elevate not only the sadness of a loss, but the transformation and/or change of human nature, where, although fragile, endures in time and space.

“God is an intelligible sphere, whose center is everywhere, and whose circumference is nowhere.” (From the essay Pascal’s Sphere by Jorge Luis Borges)