This work by Raquel evokes an intriguing feeling in me, one that is simultaneously imbued with serenity and beauty. Its symmetry creates a spiritual balance that subtly transports us to an immaterial world. This piece, created between 1989 and 1990, reminds me of the influence of her travels to different continents in search of new experiences, which, combined with her capacity for contemplation, is reflected in the transformation of her art compared to her prior works in glass. Raquel, a friend of many years, expressed in her art the calm she radiated. We miss her dearly, and she leaves us with a precious memory through her friendship and her art.
—Fanny Sanín
Chhodrtens are ancient sacred structures I encountered in Nepal while traveling in Southeast Asia 1987-88. They are hermetically sealed, cannot be entered, and relics are placed within them. Devotees would...
Chhodrtens are ancient sacred structures I encountered in Nepal while traveling in Southeast Asia 1987-88. They are hermetically sealed, cannot be entered, and relics are placed within them. Devotees would circumambulate around them for hours on end, deeply connecting with what could not be seen or known. Exposure to those highly spiritual cultures had a profound impact on my work, which led me to explore aspects of existence which are neither visible nor tangible, but that may be known and experienced in a metaphorical darkness. My art making process is akin to the experience offered by many temples in India, where the gradual passage through various concentric walls – like the passage through layers in my work – finally leads to the literal dark of the innermost part of the temple which is called the sanctum sanctorum. Those ancient stone temples seemed to emerge from the earth, as if they were coming into view from concealment.
