Found Object, Wire, Wood, Clay, Tissue Paper and Acrylic Paint
20 in x 24 in
2018

The Guardian is a sculpture made with tissue paper, wire, wood and a found sculpture of Barong, the King of Spirits. Receiving the original object as a gift from a local Bronx vendor in my neighborhood, I wished to imbue the piece with a sense of power while still respecting its initial origins. With this in mind, I decided to undergo a process of restoration, giving my own power and energy to the sculpture without altering too much of its original form. I sanded and repainted areas of the object, sharpened and fixed its teeth and formed rings of wire for it to wear. I even created a nose and wings for the object; both of which it did not originally possess. Playing off the idea of “the king of spirits,” I created a guardian who would guard the entry between this world and the world of the dead. Inspired by the ideologies behind altars and their connections to other non-physical realms, I wanted The Guardian to be a connector and a protector for me and my ancestors.

To honor this piece and allow for it to be used as a ritual object, I took advantage of the shallow pre-made holes in the statue and drilled into them so that The Guardian can hold incense in its fists.