It's no wonder this work has had trouble finding a home. Even in the States, such timeless forms look like relics. He no doubt wore his fingers to the bone during its construction. Driftwood is abundant in Cuba, but Perez has had to search for appropriate material here in Kansas City. Every form in it takes on a double life.
Faces emerge through the conjoining of several smaller figures.
Oddly, at its pinnacle sits a single star not unlike the one atop the girl's straw hat on the 1950s Cuban tourism poster. Perhaps it pays homage to his homeland. Perez has been working alongside American artists in his West Bottoms studio, and such a strategy reflects his exposure to contemporary art. Unfortunately, these works lure one's eye away from the sculptures. Perez plans to return to Cuba next year despite his newfound freedoms.