Artwork > WORKS ON PAPER

Marime 7
Spray paint, cardboard, metal, and rubber on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 8
Spray paint, cardboard, and paper on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50
2023
Marime 9
Spray paint, paper, paint marker, and cardboard on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 10
Spray paint and linen on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 11
Spray paint, canvas, paint marker, paper and cardboard on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 12
Spray paint and packing paper on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 3
Spray paint, canvas, paint marker on Canson 98. lb paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 1
Spray paint, paper, acrylic, pencil on Canson 98 lb. papeer
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 2
Spray paint, packing paper on Canson 98 lb. paper
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 4
Spray paint, paper, acrylic, pencil on Canson 140 lb. papeer
65 x 50 cm
2023
Marime 5
Spray paint, cardboard, packing tape on Canson 140 lb. paper
65 x 50
2023
Marime 6
Spray paint, marker, packing paper on Canson 98 lb. papeer
65 x 50 cm
2023

The collages were inspired by my learning about a discriminatory practice here in Portugal where some business owners place a ceramic statue of a frog in the window or at the entrance of their establishment to discourage the Romani from entering. According to a number of sources, the Romani have an aversion to frogs. Frogs are apparently considered to be bad luck in Roma culture: unclean, impure or marime.

The statues are usually a bright, almost unpleasant, apple green and are fashioned as stylized, cartoon-like frogs. They can be found in the garden section of most stores in Portugal. It is disturbing to witness items, which were originally intended as garden decor, used as symbols of racism.