This piece was inspired by my love of renaissance art. I was moved and challenged by the old stone carving masters from that era to attempt to create a sense of weightless fabric and to show transparency in a medium such as bronze. Revealing a hidden enigmatic smile through the Veil was especially compelling.
Veil which has both literal and metaphoric interpretation in art history is a complex symbol that is associated with women, which is very controversial, and still relevant today. It has both negative and positive connotations in our culture. Usually worn during bridal and marriage ceremonies it represents modesty, purity and also serves to separate the partners from each other until it is removed. For some it can bring up feelings of oppression and subjugation, for others it's worn as protection and it represents sanctity and devotion. In mysticism the symbol of the Veil can also represent all that is hidden and unknown to us as well. In Sufism for example the Veil is the divine veil that covers the heart of a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment before reaching the stages of the disclosure of God as truth, Light of God. In this context the veil is not a physical entity, but rather a representation of that which is hidden from us. ( Photo credit Rosie Prediville )
