THE SONG OF THE PIER

"If you swim in the sea during Holy Week, you'll turn into a mermaid." This warning from my great-grandmother, a native of Puerto Colombia, instilled in me such a deep respect that it eventually transformed into an irrational fear of swimming; a fear I finally overcame two years ago in the waters of Kaş.

This painting intertwines family mythology with the collective history of our surroundings. The historic Puerto Colombia Pier, built in 1888 and now a national cultural heritage site, serves here as a symbol of memory and the fluid nature of our lands. More than 4,000 migrants, many from the Ottoman Empire, entered through this port, crossing the ocean to plant new roots in our identity.

The little mermaid guarding the pier bears the face of my niece. By portraying her, I seek to capture the importance of preserving our heritage and passing these Caribbean stories on to new generations.

A detail to look at closely
If you look closely at the pier, you'll see that the colorful blocks on the structure evoke the luggage and lives of those travelers. I invite you to contemplate how the fiery sky and the transparency of the water envelop this journey between myth and reality.