Liliana Ede recently opened her exhibit “Amor Fo” at the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art and said the abstract work is meant to make viewers think and come up with their own conclusions on the meaning behind the work.
Ede said the exhibit’s title of can mean many things because we all see things differently according to our beliefs. She said it took her a few months to complete the 20 paintings that are on display.
“It means that it has no shape and generally we see things according to our beliefs, our education and the things we have inside our mind, which we grew up in,” she said. “So it is something different for everyone. I wanted to create this a little abstract so everyone could have the opportunity to see what it is in there. For some there is persons, for others it’s just color, and many other things, so that’s why I chose this title.”
For this set of artwork, Ede used mixed media, acrylics, watercolor and rice paper. She said in the pandemic she found an opportunity reconnect with her abilities and be in a state of constant change by evolving and experimenting with new things.
She said creating art and experimenting during the pandemic is very important to artists because no matter how difficult a situation is or what is happening outside, art always has the power to change things.
“It allows us to reconnect with all the abilities that we have that we did not use enough because we were always in a hurry, running to class, to work, to see your friends and always doing a lot of things at the same time that we really would not allow ourselves the opportunity to search within ourselves our mind and what is it that we really like and what is it that we want to express,” she said.
“To allow ourselves to discover who we really are.”
Ede continued on the importance of art not only for artists but also for community members who are learning to appreciate it. She said art can save people’s lives and change their surroundings because it gives the capacity to step out of where you are and create something new.
“Art will always rescue you. If you involve yourself in music, painting, opera, dancing, when everything else is dark we can always go back to that part of ourselves and it will transform you. If you have art in your life, it does not matter what’s happening outside, you will always have the capacity of going to another place.”
When asked about the pandemic and the importance of art, she said her pieces reflect the times we are living in right now and added the pandemic has made her create new art that she would not have thought of doing before.
“The pandemic has made us reflect and think what we want to do, so I started painting some eyes that are not focused they are just looking up and they don’t want to be here,” she said.
“The last part of the exhibit is very different than the rest, but I wanted to include it because to me it reflects what we are living right now.”
