JASPER GARVIDA

A plaster figure draped in cashmere represents fragility, shielded by an armour-like vest made from window blinds. The hidden face symbolizes vulnerability, challenging our perceptions of identity. This ambiguous figure, adorned with mother of pearl and horns—representing determination as an extension of inner strength—appears to be in a state of transition, questioning its own existence.

Drawing inspiration from the artist’s zodiac sign, Capricorn—a creature that is half goat and half fish—the goat embodies determination, ambition, and practicality, while the fish symbolizes emotional depth, intuition, and adaptability. Blinds construct a tough, scale-like outerface—a protective layer—yet the choice of material possesses a duality, originally designed to conceal or reveal light. The bodice, sculpted from layers of wet plaster and meticulously covered in cashmere, showcases Garvida's skilful craftsmanship. He has deliberately left the eyes hidden, alluding to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, “it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.” This intentional omission invites viewers to engage closely with the figure’s inner essence and the formal unity of texture and tone, prompting profound reflection on identity and the unseen layers of our own experiences.

- Rosalie Clement Hennion (Art Historian & Curator)