“Time travel - 1997”
Acrylic paint + Canvas
4x4x1.25 in.
This time travel series is inspired by the fluidity of time, space, and memory. In this pandemic, I've been exploring how interconnected and in movement everything is - from intergenerational trauma/healing to inner child work. I’m exploring traveling in and through the non linear relationship of time and space with curiosity, play, respect, and openness.
About “Time travel - 1997”: At the beginning of the pandemic I downloaded Tiktok as a joke thinking I was too old for this generation Z trend. I quickly found out that it was nice to have a space where didn’t have to produce, and the algorithm picked up quickly what I was into - which is witty comedy, cats, healing, Chinese medicine, multiverse theories, and a sprinkle of activism (I have other sources that feed me anti oppression education).
I cannot for the life of me find the video that was someone talking about what if we were actually time traveling when we revisit memories. When we think back on past events, we have more wisdom and advice for our past selves. And that could account for our intuition or gut feeing. Right now, our future selves could be time traveling to send us a message about our situation, and it translates into our present gut feeling.
This resonated with me, because I believe in intergenerational healing and relationships. And compared to that belief - this time travel in our own life span - isn’t much of a stretch. I know inner child work is powerful. It is essentially revisiting different past selves and extending the care and love that they needed. I love this theory of time travel, because it challenges my imagination of what could be. How can I play and heal through the possible fluidity of time and space? How can I try different portals and be open to shifts?
In 1997 I was 8 years old. I was able to turn off my emotions like a light switch. It was easier to not feel anything than to feel pain. I had the ability to know in an instant what was asked of me in any given context and shape shift. Seamlessly hopping in an and out of different social situations. I could be going through chaos at home and then the next second laughing as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. In a way, it wasn’t out of the ordinary. Shape shifting would be a skill that I would inhabit for a long long time. I’m thankful for it because I was doing my best to protect myself, and simultaneously it saddens me I had to protect myself.
As an adult, I’m learning how to give myself the proper space to feel. The sadness. The grief. The heartbreak. The joy. The contentment.
I’m intentionally time travel to 1997 to reminder my 8 year self that she’s doing amazing. I understand why she took on her magic powers. But I’m here in my adult form, and she can put down her shields and be a kid. She deserves to be carefree and naive.