Eder Hernandez
I wanted to work with the idea of remordimiento and the transliteration from the Latin, mordeo, meaning "to bite.” The root for the word death, muerte, in Spanish is also closely derived from mordeo. Through the linguistic interplay of these two concepts, I wanted to explore the idea of remordimiento, as a process of grieving that eats away at my family’s consciousness of certain deaths being preventable. For example, I know a lot of remordimiento is projected around the drowning of an older brother I never met. Stories of Giovanni’s drowning are always associated with what certain family members vacationing with him could have down to prevent his death. Remordimiento in my mom not being able to attend my grandmother’s funeral being thousands of miles away. Remordimiento in my sister’s stillbirth of a niece. I want my altar to be a representation of how remordimiento is both an active process of decay while we are alive grieving, while also having the duality of honoring those loved ones that passed away and holding them in high-esteem. The “toothed” cave suspended in the center represents the often hollowing process associated in talking about those family members’ deaths I am honoring.
-Eder
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