The gesture of repair in art is a powerful and moving metaphor for human healing, both physical and emotional. Broken Yet Whole explores mending and all its implications through broken yet mended objects, darning, and painting. The work speaks to our human optimism and also our failures. A tender attempt to recreate the legs of a broken figurine horse or repair a damaged book demonstrates love and determination. However, in the end, the attempt falls short. Once broken, we/things are never the same. At the same time, becoming broken is inevitable and does not negate wholeness.
The mended objects in Broken Yet Whole come from different sources. Some are from the IMSS’s collection; others are from the artist’s own life, such as Mend (Horses). Others yet have been gifted or loaned to the project through a call for objects, where individuals are invited to contribute loved yet damaged domestic objects.
Documentation photographs by James Prinz