Nineteenth-century American writer Henry David Thoreau lamented in his seminal work, Walden, that, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” describing a slumberous state of living in which many people listlessly go through the motions, not fully seizing the wonder and glory of being alive. In a world full of such people who merely exist, those who truly embrace and live life tend to stand out. And of those who do embrace life, the few who seize it, who genuinely live with joy and personify the pursuit of passion, really make an impact. In the human experience, these are the game-changers. Sonia Bermúdez Rosell is one such person, a talented artist whose creativity and vivacity spring forth from her almost unrestrained. It’s no surprise that Sonia lives as an artist: to contain so much spirit and passion would be impossible. It requires an outlet, and for this lady of Lima, her art is not just a livelihood, it is life itself.
Though Sonia is Peruvian, she has a special bond with Spain, and indeed holds passports from both nations. As her maternal lineage is Catalan, her zeal is particularly strong for Barcelona. “I’m of two cities,” she told me. “Lima is my first city, and Barcelona is my second. I could never choose between the two. They are my loves.” Despite Sonia’s love for Spain, however, as the conversation wound its way from the first to the second hour, it became clear that her deepest passions were reserved for Peru. “I think when a country has a population filled with passion, many with a certain talent, it’s bound to be a force all its own,” she explained. “Peruvians are deeply creative, very artistic. It’s in the blood.”
A Fondness for Fresco
Nearly 20 years ago, Sonia channelled this passion and creativity into the Taller de Crisalida, the Workshop of Chrysalis, playing on a theme of emergence and transformation as she created “wall works,” murals of uncommon depth and beauty. Commissioned for these murals around the world, Sonia has, to date, produced some 200 walls of art in public spaces, hotels, restaurants, and private residences throughout her adopted and beloved Spain, as well as in France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Andorra, the United States, and Malaysia.
As the project grew, Sonia found that there were opportunities that transcended art, and she began involving at-risk youth in the mural creations, giving these often neglected youngsters a creative outlet and a meaningful direction. “In a sense, I don’t really believe in charity,” Sonia explained carefully. “It’s not just giving handouts here. These people are genuinely working with me. They work as artists, and they earn their reward.” And that reward, of course, goes beyond a simple payment. Many times, these marginalized youth have a wellspring of creativity, but have never had any direction or focus. Sonia, with her informed mentorship, provides just that, and the experience may be the spark that sets one of these artists aflame.
For other would-be artists, the chance to work with Sonia in the creation of these lovely murals is an exercise in collaboration. It’s an opportunity to partner with an accomplished master to create something special, something whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This was exactly the case with one such mural I was able to see. Sonia was asked to paint a number of murals and other wall works at the Kuala Lumpur residence of the Peruvian Ambassador to Malaysia, and one in particular drew a lovely story from the artist.
“This painting,” Sonia described, “was done in great part by some of the workers here at the residence, who are from Myanmar.” A true collaborative effort, the painting depicts a cluster of grapes, with some of the house’s original exposed plumbing work in the corner cleverly painted to become the stalk of the grape bunch. It was a defining moment for the young workers, to be certain, to not only work with such an esteemed artist, but to be entrusted with the artwork on the walls of the Peruvian Ambassador’s residence. Such an honour can easily be the catalyst for a lifetime of artistic expression, and it’s something Sonia knows well as her own journey began early on.
Branching Out
Growing up in Peru, Sonia was exposed to an outpouring of art and creativity from a young age, and it left a profound mark on her. She reminisced fondly of her hometown in Peru: “For me, it just seemed natural to find my voice through art. I mean, you’re born into this beautiful culture, this lovely place. You wake up every day and want to do something for this country that has inspired you, that has given you so much. You have to give back.” And giving back has become part and parcel of the artistic path Sonia’s life has taken. In addition to seeking out disadvantaged and at-risk youth to put to work with a paintbrush and palette, Sonia’s Taller de Crisalida has joined forces with Resi-Klash Maison to create ElitBoh, a word which fuses the elite with the bohemian. Whereas Taller de Crisalida focuses on wall murals, Resi-Klash Maison deals primarily with actual objects that have been artfully transformed via a process Sonia described to me as “upcycling.”
“Upcycling goes beyond what we traditionally think of as recycling,” Sonia explained effusively. “It utilises the residue of industry.” Intrigued, I asked her to explain further. Upcycling or suprareciclage refers to the transformation of overstocked or residual material so that it becomes part of another object which is just as valuable and useful, or even more so. Clients acquire products with a new life, and the environment is also benefitted: by giving overstocked, discarded material a second chance, the use of virgin materials is reduced. With upcycling, wasted materials give birth to a new object. This open commitment to the environment through the use of remnants – raw, surplus, overstocked, or discarded material by other industries – complements the active inclusion in the production process of different vocational workshops with people who are at risk of social exclusion. It is the manifestation of the spirit of art “giving back” that Sonia speaks so fervently about, and it’s why she’s so closely involved with such initiatives.
A Unifying Passion
Sonia makes a special point of weaving local components in with her own distinctive style when she paints her murals. At the Peruvian Ambassador’s home, for example, one mural featured one of the traditional Peruvian boats called caballitos de totora, similar to a kayak, as a central element, but it was surrounded by Malaysian batik. Another brought the symbols of the Chinese zodiac into play, intertwined with her Latin brushstrokes and imagery. Sonia feels that this helps to unify the two nations, a philosophy she has found increasingly important. “We live for such a short time,” she pondered aloud. “I mean, 70, 80 years… what is that to history? It’s nothing. Individually, we can only play a small part. Nations must come together.”
Sonia’s unrestrained outlook on life doesn’t stop with art, however. She’s a fanatical foodie – a lover of both cooking and eating – and has found many kindred spirits in that regard during her time here in Malaysia. “Oh, you have to love good food,” she exclaimed. “I believe it was Picasso who said, ‘You’re not a good painter unless you know how to cook.’” I’m not sure if Picasso ever said such a thing, but it’s certainly plausible, and it’s well-accepted that a passion for good food easily translates to a joie de vivre for life in all its many facets. And whether it’s revealed in a detailed mural or a delectable casserole, that passion brings meaning and fullness to our lives. As Thomas Matthews of Wine Spectator noted in a 1996 essay, “Life can be lived in a casual way, or plumbed to the depths. We all choose how and where to spend our energy and attention. You may play music, cook seriously, tend a lovely garden. Maybe the things you love aren’t vital, but they make life richer. Passion is never wasted effort.” A few hours spent with Sonia Bermúdez Rosell certainly brings such a statement to life.
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To learn more about Sonia’s work, visit www.soniabermudez.com and www.elitboh.com.
Source: The Expat October 2013
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