Showing March 18 - 25, 2025
"These family portraits are a testament to the importance of remembrance and the fragility of stories that are naturally lost or altered as they are passed down. Ana Sofia grew up on the belief of giving thanks to our ancestors who continue to look after us. The hours of work dedicated to painting acts as a tribute and thanks to those who came before. She aims to preserve stories so that they transcend time and reach the future generations in her family line. Ana Sofia continues to connect with her lineage and pay homage whilst reviving their depictions. A profound sense of responsibility developed when realizing her role as a storyteller entrusted to delicately piece their legacy and their character. She created the black and white portraits knowing they may stand as the last image of the individual portrayed, as old photographs deteriorate and people risk being forgotten. Ana Sofia reflected between expressing personal recollections and external narratives for those who long passed before she could meet them and only knew through the perspective of others. She was confronted with the tedious balance and delicacy of honoring a person’s life and being while acknowledging both their virtues and flaws.
The unstretched paintings by clothespins refer to domesticity, family life, care, and the home. These elements reference the ritual of hand-washing laundry, pinning it up to dry, folding it, and tucking it away into drawers. It is a cyclical act associated with regular expressions of affection, responsibility, and care for loved ones. The paintings aim to evoke the rhythm and intimacy of these acts, connecting them to the broader cycles of life seen generationally (birth, wear and tear, and rebirth). These family portraits depict family members from different generations but with a twist in time. It challenges the impossibility of people interacting together outside of their timeline, juxtaposing them as if they existed simultaneously at the same age. These paintings bend the constraints of time, visually placing people together in this surreal-dreamlike space. These works delve into deeper conversation about memory and the afterlife, questioning how the departed watch over the living or whether we see our loved ones again once we pass. The heart of these artworks highlight the distance that time naturally binds us to and the lasting connection within a family line despite people’s passing."
About the Artist
Ana Sofia Silva is a multidisciplinary artist born in Mexico and raised in Canada. She was educated in the Beal Art Program in London, Ontario (specialized in painting and ceramics), and is currently pursuing a BAH in the Studio Art program at the University of Guelph. Ana Sofia is motivated by a deep reverence for her ancestors and desires to preserve their stories for future generations. She is passionate about exploring themes of cultural heritage, memory, and the complex interplay between past and present. Her work delves into the contemplation of mortality, subtly reminding viewers of the fragility and impermanence of existence. Her work serves as a reflection of the universal human experience, inviting viewers to contemplate their own journeys of self-discovery and belonging.
Featured Work
Aurora
24 x 30 inches
Acrylic on Canvas, 2023
Emma
16 x 20 inches
Acrylic on Canvas, 2023
Mamina
18 x 24 inches
Acrylic on Canvas, 2023
Woven Across Time
30 x 40 inches
Acrylic on Canvas, 2024
Held Beyond Time
18 x 38 inches
Acrylic on Canvas, 2024
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