Poaching

                   Although nationality is typically assigned by some sort of legal process, I have come to realize throughout my life that sometimes it can also be a matter of choice. I was born in Nicaragua, grew up on the French Canadian side (Quebec), and currently work and study in the United States. With such background, I sometimes feel that the whole nationality concept is a little bit abstract. 

          The objective of my painting remix is to reflect the world in which I grew up along with the different nationalities that I identify to. Originally painted by Hendrick Van Cleve III in the 16th century, The Tower of Babel not only is a representation of the corruption of God's children but also the explanation behind the different languages that we have in our days. This is extremely interesting because the concept of not understanding a language is sort of strange to me. I grew up speaking Spanish, French, and English and I can barely recall having to learn any of them. Additionally, I have rarely being in a situation where people around me would speak a language that I didn't fully understand. My own version of The Tower of Babel shows that all the languages that came out of that event are the only ones that I know. For that reason, I included elements (buildings) that represent the nations that have brought those languages; the Eiffel Tower for France, the Tower Bridge for England and the Sangrada Familia for Spain. It is because of those languages that in certain occasions I Identify myself as a proud and pacific Canadian, sometimes as a joyful and charismatic hispanic, and other times as an ambitious and knowledgeable American. Although I am conscious that my French isn't the exotic one from France or my English isn't from England, I find pride and beauty in the "versions" that I got to learn, similar to the child that makes its toy "Real" by using it over and over again. It might be different from its original state but it also makes it more personal and meaningful.

          Another point to notice on the painting is the fact that the Tower Bridge is by itself. This is to represent that English was for a longtime the hardest one to work on. In Quebec, although it is in Canada, there isn't a lot of opportunities to practice English. For that reason, that language felt strange and distant for a long time. Lastly, the white and blue overall tone of the picture is to represent which nationality I represent the most. Those colors are the colors of the Nicaraguayan flag. It represents that no matter what people know about me, in the end they see that I look just like any other hispanic — which I am okay with since it is the nationality that I am the most profound about.