“No Feeling is Final” Art Exhibition
At the Maestro Entrepreneur Center just west of downtown, throngs of art patrons crowded shoulder to shoulder to witness multimedia artist Gio DiZurita’s latest exhibition, No Feeling is Final. Including works with titles like Anhedonia, Ambivalence, Surrender, and Rage, DiZurita’s collection of pieces, entitled Feelings, was an examination of the wide range of emotions attendant to depression, and one artist’s cathartic journey to self-acceptance through their medium.
The artwork of Feelings is evocative. Monochromatic faces are set in various states of distress, with small workings of color along their features, and words of reflection or affirmation appearing on and around them. How the faces were rendered differed greatly depending on the sensation described: the juvenile facial construction and nervous, unfocused eyes of Uncertainty, or Rage with its wild strokes that resembled knife slashes; and in a piece featuring a conspicuous amount of color, a relatively sparse face gazed plaintively at the observer, the Introverted Heart.
Pieces sold quickly.
Speaking with Scene in SA, Gio explained the process behind Feelings, and why she chose to share some of her most personal experiences in No Feeling is Final.
“This collection is totally different than my usual work,” she said. “I always paint very colorful things. It is a work of exploring through depression and acceptance of the dark times through life, and how that journey has been for me.”
I see you have messages written, sometimes on the lips, sometimes on the eyelids. Was there a process behind which feeling to apply to which emotion?
“So basically, every painting started by me writing down on random notes how I was feeling and struggling to find the right words, because sometimes it’s not just one feeling. It’s like a bunch of emotions that can’t be explained, so I started painting them, and ripping apart the actual notes, and making faces that explained all the emotions I was feeling, but without words, just visuals.”
On one of your pieces, you can see a peek of one of the notes coming through. I started going around trying to find the rest!
“Yeah, you can’t see much of it, because it’s kind of like the idea that, in life we go through layers, and we become like tough skin over time, going through bad times and good times. This collection talks about the union of darkness and light, and not having to struggle, but accepting it.”
Do you feel like you’ve completed the struggle? With the release of this collection, do you feel like you were able to process a lot of that?
“Definitely. Actually, I’m here today enjoying my life instead of feeling depressed and feeling anxiety, which is what I was going through when I was creating this. I had no idea I was going to exhibit it. What happened was that Maestro [Entrepreneur Center] invited me to do something, and I had no new work, because thankfully it sells fast. But I was like well, I have work that I wasn’t thinking of showing it off, but maybe we can do something with it, and they loved the idea, so I framed everything and brought it here, but those were meant to be my personal notes, my personal collection of the struggle through depression, but it ended up being something beautiful, people are enjoying them.”
You have so many feelings identified. Were there any that were too personal to release?
“No. Nothing’s ever too personal when it comes to my art. My vulnerability, I feel, is my strength. If I have a voice, I show it through my work by showcasing my lowest points, and talking about it like nothing. I am removing the power from that moment by exposing them. Everything’s a lesson. What am I getting from this? Why am I having to go through it?”
One more question; do you keep a journal?
“I do, yes. Not everything gets ripped apart!” ■
To purchase one of the few remaining pieces from Feelings (act fast!) or view more of her art, visit Dizurita.com.
Editor: Nick Blevins
Photography: Bethany Castro
