Interview with Lisa Merida Paytes for Opulent Mobility 2023-4
Channel: Opulent Mobility
Date: 2024-01-01

Interview with sculptor Lisa Merida-Paytes for the Opulent Mobility 2023-4 exhibit. Many thanks to Lisa for sharing her paper sculptures with us! Interview by A. Laura Brody, founder of Opulent Mobility, and ASL interpretation by Joe Roger Rivera Perez.

Lisa Merida-Paytes
http://www.lisameridapaytes.com/
GMoA, 2023 
Woven and thatched archival paper, watercolor, coffee
37” x 48” x 29”

“There are over 7,000 known rare diseases and disabilities impacting the lives of more than 25 million Americans. As an artist with disabilities caused from Ataxia, a rare neurological disease that is progressive, affecting my ability to walk, talk, balance myself and use fine motor skills, my artwork has become a vehicle to interpret transformative changes occurring in my body caused from the progression of the disease.  Also, my work researches and brings awareness people living with disabilities while pushing the boundaries of contemporary art.  Anamorphosis is an original, intermedia project that examines the gradual changes from one form to another.  Also, this project explores the many facets of human growth through the power of movement’s processes, concepts and materials that do not obviously relate to one another but when probed, inherent threads overarch, link, network and build transformative connections.” 

Art description by Teri Grossman:
The sculpture is formed from irregular torn strips of paper. It is wider at the top with two swirls at the bottom. Bits of color appear in the work: dark cranberry and rust on the left side of the upper cone shape with hints of pale yellow on the right. Faint yellow and rust on the middle swirl and brighter yellow on the lower swirl. The piece is suspended by multiple thin white wires.

Opulent Mobility is an annual, international exhibit that asks artists to re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful. For more details on the exhibit and artists, go to www.opulentmobility (dot) com.