Virgen del Carmen with Child by Susana Ramos

Discovery

Susana Ramos
Virgen del Carmen with Child, 2023
Mixed Media
Large
Sold

1.2023
Virgen del Carmen with Child
Familia Treviño, Mexicali, Mexico
Size: Large
Year: 2023

Materials:

Veil/Mantle: Hand-painted beige Spanish mantilla.
Guimpe: Spanish lace with hand-painted white and brown carnations accented with liquid gold tones.
Crown: Wrought iron crown from Santa Fe, New Mexico, with encrusted Swarovski crystals.
Halo: Mexican golden brass starburst halo.
Crucifix/Rosary: Hand-embroidered scapular.
Earrings/Necklace: Brass filigree hoop earrings and golden choker made of traditional Spanish mother-of-pearl bracelet.
Dress: Vintage Spanish mantilla dress decorated with a shield of embroidered pearls showcasing the letter "C" representing the shield of the Virgen del Carmen.
Madonna is featured holding her child.

Label text:

This Virgen del Carmen is adorned with a hand-painted beige Spanish mantilla that gracefully drapes over her shoulders. Her guimpe is made of Spanish lace, intricately detailed with hand-painted white and brown carnations, accentuated by liquid gold paint. Her head is crowned with a wrought iron crown from Santa Fe, New Mexico, encrusted with sparkling Swarovski crystals, while a Mexican golden brass starburst halo radiates around her. The Madonna also wears a hand-embroidered scapular, adding a deeply spiritual element to the piece. Complementing this, she wears brass filigree hoop earrings and a golden choker crafted from a traditional Spanish mother-of-pearl bracelet. Her vintage Spanish mantilla dress is decorated with a shield of embroidered pearls, proudly displaying the letter "C," symbolizing the shield of the Virgen del Carmen. The Madonna tenderly holds her child.

Other Work From Susana Ramos

Divina Infanta, Guadalupe Baby by Susana Ramos

Nuestra Señora de la Puerta del Amanecer (Russian Icon Madonna) by Susana Ramos

Nuestra Señora del Rosario by Susana Ramos

Nuestra Señora de la Sagrada Eucaristía by Susana Ramos

Santísima Virgen María Inmaculada by Susana Ramos

See all artwork from Susana Ramos

The Madonna, or Virgin Mary, has many titles around the world. Some titles are dogmatic, while others are poetic or descriptive; some change because of language or cultural needs in different geographical locations. Overall, the multiple titles and versions of the Madonna have allowed artists worldwide to develop thousands of interpretations of what today we know as the icon of the Virgin Mary.

Growing up in Mexico, one of the most devout Christian countries globally, Susana Ramos creates sculptures of the Virgin with sacred repurposed artifacts. Through her faith and the many titles and versions of the Madonna, Honold Ramos recreates the many faces of the Virgin every day. In her studio, she stores thousands of modern, antique, and ancient textiles from around the world and with stones and crowns she creates relics worthy of being a channel of prayers and good intentions.

Born in a Catholic family in 1962, surrounded by women that used their creativity to sew, knit, and paint. Susana wakes up every morning, and like a continuous prayer, she sculpts the Virgin Mary, every day different as her creativity allows. In 1990 she created her first sculpture of Our Lady of Guadalupe using vintage materials from her family, and she continued making Virgins as commissions for devout believers. Today her modern sculptures are in many museums, art collections, homes, churches, and chapels; they reflect her faith, and they color the spiritual world of Christian believers.

Exhibition history:

Oct 17, 2022- Mar 26, 2023. Domesticanx, Museo del Barrio, New York, NY.

Feb 4- Aug 13, 2023. Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory, UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, CA.

Jun 18- Nov 6, 2022. Amalia Mesa-Bains: Venus Envy, Chapter I and Madrinas y Hermanas, SF MoMa, San Francisco, CA.

Oct 15- Mar 30, 2024. Baroque Madonna. Mexican Cultural Institute, Washington, DC.

Nov 5 - Mar 3, 2024, Archaeology of Memory, Phoenix Museum, Phoenix, Arizona.

Sept 20 - Feb 12, 2025, Amalia Bains: Archaeology of Memory, San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas.

Susana Ramos

San Diego, CA

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