CARPATHIAN SHADOWS

The Carpathian Mountains are a range located in Eastern Europe. A portion of my family immigrated to the United States after WWI from the region formally known as The Austro-Hungarian Empire as a result of ethnic cleansing that would eventually develop into The Porajmos. It is taboo to discuss these memories and the history has been largely suppressed by those for whom it is inconvenient knowledge. The shame of the history has forced many families to hide their ethnic heritage in an attempt to "pass" as white. In 2019 I used an esoteric meditation technique, Drishti meditation, to view the past location where my family of origin fled as a result of the violence and oppression. My practice for the 2019 series also included reading The Nag Hamadi Scriptures and writing my first novel, Passion's Torrent. The following paintings are a result of that practice. Look for an article in the Featured Art & Art Object section of the April 2025 issue of 1UV MONTHLY.

Always,

Larissa