PAR UN DÉSIR
2025
MATTE BLACK VINYL TEXT ON WALL
VARIABLE DIMENSIONS
THE MOTTO “PAR UN DÉSIR,” ORIGINALLY COINED BY LUDOVICO II GONZAGA, CAPITANO DEL POPOLO OF MANTUA, WAS LATER ADOPTED BY MANTEGNA, WHO WAS APPOINTED COURT ARTIST IN 1460. THE PHRASE APPEARED IN SEVERAL FRESCOES DECORATING HIS HOME, AS WELL AS ON FURNITURE AND HIS PERSONAL CLOTHING. I FIRST ENCOUNTERED IT LONG AGO, DURING MY UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES IN ART HISTORY. I RETURN TO IT NOW, AS IT SEEMS TO ENCAPSULATE THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MY ARTISTIC PRACTICE. IT SPEAKS TO A DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE, BEAUTY, EXPRESSION, THE PURSUIT OF AN IDEAL, WHILE REMAINING OPEN-ENDED, LIKE A SENTENCE WAITING TO BE COMPLETED. MY WORK OFFERS NO DIDACTICS AND NO EXPLICIT NARRATIVES. INSTEAD, I HOPE IT CAN CREATE AN EMOTIONAL SPACE FOR REFLECTION RATHER THAN INSTRUCTION.