Mónica del Villar

A Short Letter in a Small Box

2019

As a Mexican and passionate woman, I placed in my box the things I have on hand and that I most treasure: My children and grandchildren and my “quetzal feathers,” depicted in a note or in photographs. They are the true objects of value in my life. Through them I believe I now understand the nature of love. I also adore Mexico. Its qualities enchant me: the kindness of the people; its colours, smells and tastes; the variety of sounds and handicrafts; its sacred, natural and cultural sites that surrounds us. I respect our strong women, creators of life and pillars of our cultures. All this is contained in my Mexico and symbolized in a small, brightly-coloured handcrafted box, loosely wrapped in a torn jute bag where it has room to breathe. The box opens in reverse, from left to right, which is a feminine trait shared by the women in the Salón México who create and open doors as do their Parisian and Angelino sisters. Here, no walls divide us.