i m p e r m a n e n c e  

 

I like to think of humans as sacs of particles in constant search for balance, and this definition takes my mind in multiple directions.

 

From a cosmic eye, the story tells us that our ancestors, the free particles in space, were pushed by forces to engage in electrochemical exchanges in order to find some sort of stability, while the entropy of the overall system expands. This process supported chemical bonds that escalated into molecules capable of synthesizing new arrangements and to reproduce the processes once and once again; in a constantly changing realm, giving space to variation and diversity.

 

From the frail human eye, being a sack of particles sounds so dry and meaningless. And yet, it can tell us something that has a profound meaning for our human nature. 

 

We are born to bond with our caretakers, who are not always well suited for the role, since they, themselves, were likely very lost particles in space. Many forces well beyond our control, pushed us to behave in incomprehensible ways, we build, demolish, we bond and de-bond, here and there, in toxic relationships or loving pleasing associations. And we keep trying to find balance in what often looks like an abyss of entropy.

 

This is the metaphor I have been using as a gate to a world of visual poetry that allows me to express simple messages reflecting existence from a wider picture; while, at the same time, keeping alive the feeling of the experience from a sentient human perspective.

 

What I see as more valuable about the particle metaphor is that it makes a point about the importance of connection and bonding in order to achieve stable balance.

 

All humans have the neurological capabilities for experiencing what has been called “Religious Experience”, the experience of “Absolute Unitary Being”, or in modern secular times, the “Aesthetic Experience”. This is an intense feeling of belonging accompanied by an extreme sense of pleasure that comes with a wonderful sunset, a song that deeply moves our emotions, a meaningful ritual, a poem, etc. We find ourselves dissolved and at the same time fully identified within this experience. 

 

Making these images has nurtured the roots that connect my mind to something that feels universally human; it reinforces a sense of belonging to something way bigger than myself. And this, inevitably reminds me of Sagan’s idea: “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself”. We are interwoven sacks of life often confused by the mirages of our extreme emotions. 

 

Creating is a way to connect with that feeling of oneness that I treasure inside me. And this has shown me that the more I explore inward, the more open I feel to the outer world, because when I see inside me I see humanity, I see us all.

Sandra Lopez