Tesserae, the Fresco and Fragility of Self

Through these paintings of oil and fresco, I explore self-value, as it relates to grief and loss, and the journey to resilience. Fresco, known for its durability and resilient qualities, serves as a conceptual counterpart to the grieving process, symbolizing both endurance and transformation. This series is titled “Tesserae” after a plural Latin word, meaning a set of four or more. Each fresco tile is also named after another Latin word, Tessera, which is an individual, single tile from a mosaic, or a larger collection called Tesserae. The use of these Latin terms to reference both individual tiles and the larger whole is a poignant reminder for the fragments of experience that come together in the process of healing and self-reflection.

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