Adrian Arleo's “Eve, Honey Comb” is a near life-sized clay, glaze and wax encaustic sculpture of the biblical “first mother.” Eve's entire body, including the small rock plynth she stands upon, are modeled as if they were made entirely of honeycomb. Her naked body is riddled with cells in varying states- some are open, others appear to be partially or completely closed with wax. Her face appears forlorn, she looks to the side. Her gesture and expression are somewhat ambiguous. Could she be about to reach for something? Or has something she once held in her hand been taken away? The pale yellow finish on the sculpture, and the naturalism in which Arleo modeled each and every cell, begs us to touch and perhaps even taste. Might we be tempted to break off a piece to eat? By forming Eve out of a honey comb, Arleo asks us to consider the ideas of motherhood, creation, temptation, innocence, and sin. As mothers, women are both home and sustenance to their children, like the hive is to the bee. Conversely, perhaps Arleo is asking us to consider the mother-like qualities of bees, who create new life constantly in a diverse array of plants by pollinating. Consider also how Eve is being transformed with the wax covering of the cells- what will happen to her when they are all full? When they are emptied? She appears to be stopped in mid-gesture- will she solidify? Her expression seems to convey that she is not in harmony with this arrangement. Could Arleo be commenting on the hardships of birthing and fostering life? Or, is this Eve, once human, returning to nature as it was before the fall, before the knowledge of evil destroyed her innocence?
While Arleo, Morales-Morgan and Velarde take inspiration from different traditions and vary greatly in their visual style, each successfully creates images that embody the complex workings of our inner worlds. This is the work of the artist: to show us the world from their unique perspective, but to also embrace the and honor the commonality of our human experience. I feel that I am enriched as a person from having seen each of these artists' works, and will continue to seek out art that informs my understanding of others and their perspectives.