Lust and Suicide: Works by Sophia del Rio

Exhibition Statement:

Lust and Suicide is a body of work as a direct result of my life after my father’s suicide. It was a  time, lasting years, where I was barely able to feed and care for myself. Despite this, I  experienced a disturbing surge of primal urges, like lust. My grief was disorienting, I didn’t  recognize myself and felt possessed at times. The trauma of my father’s suicide left me changed. I felt, and still feel, like a woman searching for gasoline to put out a fire – Nothing makes sense. Lust and Suicide is a group of new oil paintings and ceramic sculpture (2023) builds on my  previous work using the same visual language and symbols, but has made a hard turn by incorporating the use of the human figure. The figure is myself, though I know many people could attest to their experiences of grief after a loved one’s departure. I choose not to include  images of other people or even imagined people, my superstition and personal beliefs prevent me from using the images of others in a manner which could harm them. I hope to create work that allows viewers to safely observe and reflect in a safe space. When I am blessed enough to stand by my work and listen to viewers, and, sometimes, hear their own experiences with loved ones whom have made the decision to suicide. I find a moment for us to  breathe and contemplate, and hopefully heal by opening up about our shared experience. A terrible thing happened. And, we are still here. I’m here with you.