Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Art and Art History
First Advisor
Durant Thompson
Second Advisor
Brooke Alexander
Third Advisor
John Samonds
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Juntos is a sculptural exploration of interconnectedness and dependence between people. Throughout my life and travels around the world as a solo backpacker, I have seen firsthand how the human desire for connection transcends language barriers, personality differences, and various belief systems. This natural tendency to form relationships and depend on each other is integral to our society and our lives. In juntos, which means “together” in Spanish, I explore these human connections through figurative sculptures using abstraction, repetition, diversity, and balance.
The simple, abstract figures that make up juntos capture the internal composition of a person rather than a literal representation of the human body. Each figure has a hole through its torso, abstracting the form away from our physical bodies and providing a window into and through the figures. Repetitive forms demonstrate how each figure is equal to the next, as are humans. Variation in material and finish represent diverse identities and backgrounds, with vibrant accent colors inspired by cultures from around the world. I primarily relied on metal casting processes to create similar forms but also used process-based materials such as newspaper and fabric. Many of the figures are balanced on each other, capturing a dependence between all people, simultaneously strong and delicate. Juntos serves as a reminder that, despite our differences, we all relate to and depend on one another.
Recommended Citation
Saenz, Tori N., "juntos" (2025). Honors Theses. 3282.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3282
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
