Inmaculada Yemanya
20” diameter. Acrylic, gold leaf, glitter, and faux pearls on stretched canvas.
For this commission, I was asked by my client to combine the West African orisha, Yemanya, who is venerated in Brazil, with a Virgin Mary and references to Nicaragua. My client is Brazilian-Nicaraguan and wanted to represent both sides of her background in one piece. I took the clothes associated with the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception, which is the patron saint of Nicaragua, with the physical aspects attributed to Yemanya. As Yemanya is associated with the ocean, I placed her in the water as opposed to the sky, and instead of the white roses associated with Yemanya, you have sacuanjoches or plumeria blossoms, which are the national flower of Nicaragua.