10 Questions with Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

Diana M. Gómez Jaimes is a Master of Visual Arts graduate from the University of Pamplona. Originating from the city of eternal fog, Pamplona, Norte de Santander, Colombia, she is a passionate artist captivated by photography, painting, engraving, poetry, and writing. She has a strong affinity for the dark, the different, the mysterious, and the unusual. Her art draws inspiration from two fundamental imaginaries, Shadow and Mask, which she connects with themes that generate conflict within human beings, such as mourning, death, absence, depression, loneliness, schizophrenia, and psychosis.

She has had the opportunity to showcase her work in the II Master Graduate Visual Arts Exhibition at the Casa Águeda Gallardo Museum in Pamplona, Colombia, with the piece "Henko: La Sombra como Herida." Additionally, she exhibited with YILA'OB Art Gallery (Mexico) in the exhibition "Horizontes" with the photographic series "Bajo el manto de una mágica neblina" and "Criaturas de la Noche" with the photographic series "Decadente carmesí" and with ARIES Art Gallery (Venezuela) in the exhibition "Fragmentos Vibrantes" with the piece "Henko: La sombra como herida".

Moreover, she participated as a speaker at the First Research Colloquium on Art and Communication at the University of Pamplona with her work "Una distorsión de mi sombra," and she is one of the authors of the short story "La máscara blanca" in the book "Ontología de la locura" published by KOMALA.

She has received several recognitions for her work, including the First Prize in the II Master Graduate Visual Arts Exhibition, a Meritorious Mention in the II Master Graduate Visual Arts Exhibition, a Meritorious Mention for her graduate thesis "Una distorsión de mi sombra", recognition for Best Work and Assembly at the "Circuito Neblina Festival" of the Visual Arts Program at the University of Pamplona and the First Place in the Photographic Tribute to Laura Makabresku.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Through her creative process, she endeavors to recontextualize and metaphorize objects, colors, concepts, and symbols associated with societal taboos, including grief, mortality, absence, depression, isolation, schizophrenia, and psychosis through actions like veiling-revealing and transgressing-breaking.

She is interested in approaching these themes from an unconventional perspective, highlighting the fragility and chaos hidden within the mind, those wounds that are feared to be shown and concealed behind a mask. The essence of duality, of shadow, is a central theme in her work.

Her art is her personal catharsis, the channel through which she allows herself to release and express her emotions, obsessions, and inner conflicts. Since her mother's passing, she has allowed herself to explore themes she previously ignored, which she believes deserve emotional attention. Therefore, she feels the need to share her experience, becoming a mirror where her works reflect that, even in pain, chaos, and darkness, there is beauty and admiration.

Her goal is to enable the viewer to emotionally connect with her works through profound contemplation or simply observe a different way of thinking.

Bajo el Manto de una Mágica Neblina, Photography, 21x29,7 cm, 2024 © Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

INTERVIEW

Let's start from the basics. Who are you, and how did you develop into the artist you are today?

I'm a being in constant evolution, filled with experiences, thoughts, and emotions that intertwine and transform. I'm the result of my decisions, passions, and weaknesses. I'm an artist, a dreamer, an explorer of life and art. And above all, I'm a work in progress, always changing, growing, and seeking to express my vision of the world in the most authentic and meaningful way possible.
My development as an artist has been a continuous and evolving process. Drawing has been present in my life since I was four years old. At thirteen, I felt a strong attraction to themes related to esotericism, darkness, and mystery. Black became my camouflage to go unnoticed, as I never fit in with society. As I grew older, my interest in art deepened, and I began to seek inspiration from various sources, such as reading, writing, and nature. In moments of solitude, music, drawing, and painting were always my means of distraction. Later, I found distraction in photography, and I fell in love with it. Years later, my mom passed away due to a cardiopulmonary failure, and my life was split in two - yesterday and tomorrow. A before and an after. I began studying Visual Arts at the University of Pamplona, and when I was in my fourth semester, after three years of silence, I decided to use art as a trigger to talk about my mom's death. Here, my personal and emotional experiences began to play a crucial role in my growth as an artist until today, when I've learned to know myself. I compare my artistic process to darkness that, when reflected by light, transforms into an eternal dance where the sadness of black becomes poetry."

Henko La Sombra como Herida, Photomontage, 21x29,7 cm, 2024 © Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

Can you tell us about your educational journey and how it has shaped your photographic style?

My interest in photography began long before I studied visual arts. In fact, I remember being fascinated by the idea of capturing moments and emotions through the camera lens. However, it was after my mother's passing that my passion for photography became more profound and meaningful. Photography became a way for me to express my grief and nostalgia and to connect with my emotions in a more authentic way. As I continued to explore and experiment with photography, my style developed in a unique way, reflecting my vision of the world and my soul.

How do photography, painting, and poetry complement each other in your creative expression?

My love for poetry was born from reading some of Edgar Allan Poe's books. Writing has also helped me to express myself when I'm not feeling well about something. My way of seeing the world is a bit different from others. Even in my early works, I included phrases and words that reflected important moments with my mom. Additionally, this is also reflected in the diary or archive I created since I started working with the theme of grief. Painting also became involved when I wanted to move from words to graphics, experimenting with figures and textures that I related to absence, pain, and anger. I consider that everything complements each other, everything starts from a sketch, that sketch can even be a poem, a phrase that can be transformed into a face, a color, or an object that evolves into a composition that I mix with the imaginaries I work with, which are shadow and mask, resulting in a photograph, collage, or photomontage. Everything starts from a sketch or an initial idea that can evolve into different forms of art.

Pendencia, Photomontage, 50x165 cm, 2022 © Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

What inspired you to explore themes like shadow and mask in your art?

At the beginning of my process, the first word I associated with what I felt was death. Through some engravings I made, the concept of the mask appeared as if out of nowhere. At that moment, "the mask" represented the years I spent in silence, not talking about what I felt without my mom being alive. On the one hand, that was what it meant; on the other hand, as I continued to express other emotions like sadness, melancholy, anger, rage, and rejection, I reached a point where I felt lost, not knowing what I was experiencing or feeling. I didn't know what step to take or how to proceed, so I started investigating and found a book by Elizabeth Kübler. She talks about the stages that arise after experiencing the death of a loved one. I felt identified, and for the first time, I knew what I was going through - my own moments/phases of grief. That's when the concept of shadow appeared. We're used to performing rituals around death, like the novena or burying or cremating the people we lose, but almost no one talks about what happens after that. It happened to me, and after several years, I finally understood what was happening to me. So, this concept of shadow was born from that internal struggle I was having with myself, not accepting that there was nothing more to be done and that I couldn't erase my mom's death from my life. I reinforced and understood this concept even more when I read Carl Jung's book "Map of the Soul", which helped me understand and process my emotions in a deeper way. I realized that my process of dealing with grief was a multitude of repressed emotions/personalities that live within me, that is, "My shadow".

How do your personal experiences influence your creative process?

I think that each person on this earthly plane is experiencing/having their own process, which is why, when I talk about my works, I emphasize the fact that they are a reflection of my experiences, of the situations that have affected me throughout my life, such as feeling different from others, feeling like you don't fit in. All of this has undoubtedly influenced my creative process.

Lid de Sombras Series, Photomontage, 23x29 cm, 2022 © Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

How has your mother's passing shaped the themes and direction of your work?

The death of my mother undoubtedly marked a before and after in my life. This change is reflected when I included the theme of Death and grief in the creation of my works. Just like in my personal life, it has affected my ideologies, my way of seeing the world and people, and even my sensitivity and attitude. Before, I was a bit closed-off and reserved, but now I feel the need to speak through my work. I feel the need to help others by being a mirror, showing them that they're not alone in feeling lost or defeated and that it's okay to feel that way. Negative emotions are also valid; they're a part of us. Therefore, my mom is a huge influence on my work.

What do you hope your audience takes away from your photographs?

I hope that the public takes away from my photographs a greater awareness and empathy towards those who are going through experiences of grief and loss. I want my works to inspire viewers to reflect on the importance of addressing and processing their emotions and to consider that they are not alone in their pain. I hope that they can help break the taboo surrounding death and grief and that they can approach these topics in a more open and honest way.

What emotions or thoughts do you hope viewers feel when they see your art?

It's difficult to say, because I can't pretend that everyone feels what I felt when creating the works, but I've received several comments from people who haven't dared to talk about the absence they feel due to the loss of their mother because they think it's too personal and that showing our fragility means showing our weakness. But I feel that being fragile is beautiful; it's also a part of us that we should show with pride. I've also connected with people who are sensitive to these topics without having experienced the loss of a loved one. People who are empathetic find a beautiful source of sensitivity in my work. So, I could say that I would feel good if people managed to connect with my work through any emotion, and they expressed their own point of view, whether negative or positive. It's interesting when each person interprets your art in their own way.

Una Distorsión de Mi Sombra, Photography, 35x50 cm, 2022 © Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

Can you describe the role of duality in your work?

When I refer to duality, I'm talking about my shadow, my negative side, the hidden one, the one that emerges when I cover my face with a mask. Each person has a shadow within them, and some people can't see or feel it. I felt mine when my mom was no longer in my life. At that moment, I began to experience chaos in my emotions, in my way of feeling and seeing the world. My shadow is the representation of my flaws, my failures, my wounds. I connect it with duality because, just as I am chaos, I am also tranquility; just as I am darkness, I am also light. Getting to know my shadow and fighting against it allowed me to know and understand my own emotions and experiences.
I represent duality in my works with two people who symbolize the internal struggle between different aspects of my personality. I also use color, with black and white, to represent the duality between consciousness and the subconscious, what is and isn't real.

Why do you think it's important to address societal taboos like grief and mental health through art?

Because it allows us to release our emotions, let go of burdens, face our fears, and reflect on the damage that can be caused by silencing our thoughts. Art has always been intertwined with emotions, especially with melancholy, madness, and loneliness. Without a doubt, it is a cathartic tool that helps with self-acceptance, getting to know ourselves better, and learning to cope with what has affected us throughout our lives. In my research, I found that not experiencing grief properly can lead to the onset of mental illness. This is very important today if we talk about the number of suicides caused by depression or loneliness. The importance of addressing topics like grief and mental health is crucial in our current society. Stigmatization and lack of understanding can lead to people not seeking help when they need it, which can have devastating consequences. This highlights the importance of creating a safe and compassionate space for people to process their emotions and experience grief in a healthy way.

Tribute to Laura Makabresku, Photography, 22x28 cm, 2019 © Diana M. Gómez Jaimes

Ultimately, what messages do you want to convey with your work? Is there a theme, message, or battle you would like to support with your art?

I want to show a different facet of art, one that focuses on themes that generate conflict within the human being. I'm interested in exploring themes like grief, loneliness, chaos, depression, and the grotesque, creating work from what hurts, damages, and wounds. I believe that humans are leaving aside emotions like sensitivity, love, and empathy, and we're becoming more superficial. In that sense, I consider that as an artist, I can be a mirror for society through my process and art. Art can be a very effective tool for challenging social norms and provoking reflection and awareness.

And lastly, what new projects or areas of exploration are you currently working on?

Currently, I'm complementing my knowledge with courses related to cinematography, which is another one of my passions. I plan to incorporate narrative audiovisual elements into my work. I want to experiment even more with video performance. I'm also considering getting involved in the world of experimental short films, as I think they can be a very powerful form of artistic expression. They allow for great creative freedom and can be used to explore themes and emotions in innovative ways. Every work of art is in constant evolution, just like the artist, so I continue to learn, explore, and acquire more knowledge. So, for now, those are my plans.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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