“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.”-Henry Ward Beecher

The first art exhibit of fall 2015 in the University Union Gallery was called Treasure Revealed: Art from the Sacramento State Collection. In this exhibit, there was a piece named Pain Deep by Victoria S. Some of you may have witnessed the beautiful portrayal of Victoria’s mind.

Just imagine a woman’s body made of steel laying in a bed of screws. Imagine bolts imbedded in rows all through her body; Imagine her pelvic area being the only area that has a pool of screws as if she wants us to know that it is the specific place she’s been deceived the most; A woman who went through hell and survived, imagine that as a work of art.

The moment I laid my eyes on her exquisite sculpture, I saw her pain, deep. There is more to be understood about her art work than what only meets the eye.

A famous dead poet once said that a great work of art is dead to you the moment you think you understand it.

I strongly disagree. I believe this work of art came to life once I realized that it was me on the bed of screws. I felt as if I created her piece myself, as if I was in her head when she sculpted the expressive woman.

The steel body represents strength, but laying the steel body in the bed of screws signifies a person who is exhausted from the pain and no longer feels like they are a human being.

Chris Pogue, who was also admiring the artwork, said, “I think this girl is trying to portray the loss of one’s self to things that are expected to be drowning due to pressure. The submergence of the body in a bed of screws shows it was willingness to let yourself drown.”

As you can see, different people interpret things differently.

All I know is, artwork doesn’t die if you think you can understand it. I am still trying to fully comprehend what I think Pain Deep means. This may be one of the most beautiful works of art I have ever experienced.