MARÍA BERRÍO (B.1982)

“In ‘The Dream of Flight,’ a reclining figure stretches her arms out like a bird, imagining what it would be like to take flight. It is a rare piece that’s a bit more autobiographical—the reclining figure looks like me and the patterns of the carpet and her dress come from my life. I have a similar carpet and a similar dress. The red birds in the distance are the scarlet ibis, native to South America. The figures dream of freedom and look to the birds flying overhead for hope, only to realize that freedom is impossible.“ ---Maria Berrio