Title: PEDRO
Year: 2022
Size: 24 X 36 INCHES
Technique: Acrylic

“Freedom is never given; it is won.”
– A. Philip Randolph

Every life is unique and has a different story to tell. Yet there are only two ways of living. ‘Pedro’ is a portrayal of the two states.
The term ‘Pedro’ is derived from the Latin word Petra, meaning ‘rock’. It stays still, untouched, unaware of its surroundings, yet in its apex, can turn into mountains that pierce through the clouds embracing the sky.
One is the manifestation of a calm, untouched Pedro, depicted by loose strokes in a blue undertone. He prefers to have his eyes closed to the chaos-inflicted world around him. What lies before him is his freedom, the bold yellow line, the presence which he is totally unaware of. Or did he naively choose to be held back by the ‘patterns' of traditions imposed by the society of what they call ‘normal', to be accepted as one among ‘them'.
Yet once he gets the first taste of freedom, there is never a return to ‘normality'. He unleashes his potential, breaks norms, and has an unprecedented urge to be really ‘free' for the first time in his life, and break loose from all chains binding him to society. He is furious with the red rage that surrounds him, for now, he can really see the Yellow in front, calling out for him. He knows that true freedom lies where the mind is without fear.
So which one of the two is Pedro, you may ask. I say both, in their own way.
P.S. The face you see in the artwork is the Spanish actor, artist, and writer; Pedro Alonso. His penchant for portraying contrasting emotions and distinct philosophical views on life through acting, painting, and writing, interestingly for me, makes him the right choice for this artwork.