Enlightening the Perception of Space, by Valeria Divinorum

For this Galaxia 2000 revival, we spoke with Valeria Divinorum, a Queens-based visual artist and architect, a magician that brings new light to this planet through her glass sculptures. Her work has been exhibited in multiple international shows, such as I Break in Italy, El Hipercubo in Argentina, Space Light in the US, and Rear Vision in Spain. She teaches at LaGuardia Community College and BronxWorks Senior Center.

In this interview, we talked about geometry, perception, teaching, love, and building community in New York coming from South America. All the photos belong to Vale, and for reading purposes the dialogue has been edited, enjoy it!

What does your desk/studio look like?

Glass scraps, mirrors, soldering iron, copper foil, flux, gloves, lead-free solder, boxes of glass, beveled and dichroic glass. Glass cutters, rulers, pliers of many kinds. Papers, drawings, pencils and sharpies, and maybe some blood 😂

Can you tell us about your creative background? What led you to stained-glass sculpture? Why sculpture?

My mom is a glass artist, she is specialized in the Grisaille technique. After I finished studying architecture in Buenos Aires, I learned how to cut glass and solder in her studio, with my mentor Andres Jacob. As an architect, I was always interested in the dimensional perception of space and through sculptures made with glass and mirrors I can explore the optics from 2D to 3D and other higher dimensions that our eyes are not used to perceiving.

My work is a Modern interpretation of stained glass, embodying sacred geometry, patterns in nature, and spatial relationships. The sculptures I design are made using beveled, dichroic, and iridescent glass sheets; materials that allow me to explore light refraction from different angles and surfaces generating new shapes through layers of light and color. I explore the dynamics between light, and the laws of physics & matter, to create new worlds through unique colorful shapes and ambiances of infinite optical layers.

Light in tangible architecture creates space you cannot touch, becoming an extension of form, casting color and shadows.

What role do technology and new media have in your life/art? What are some tools that you are using?

I make live visuals and digital collages. I have been working with the software Resolume which is a video mixer that allows me to play with different filters of light and create new experimental video art. I also use Adobe Suite.

Icosahedron refraction from Valeria Divinorum on Vimeo.

Light in tangible architecture creates space you cannot touch, becoming an extension of form, casting color and shadows. Exposing magical and fantasy parts as elements contained within perceived normality. I use light and projections in my work as a lens to channel multiple realities perceived by an observer—light reacts with my pieces to form immersive colored reflections in space, and in turn, uniquely transforms every viewer’s experience.

You are an educator as well!

What I enjoy the most about teaching is being a channel of creativity and providing tools for others to express themselves through any media. I am mostly teaching at a Senior Center in The Bronx. We do all sorts of crafts, such as Mosaics, Painting, and Collage. I enjoy working with seniors a lot because they are very patient and they enjoy the activities. Most of them have never done any craft before so it is very inspiring to be able to open their creativity through my workshops. Working in The Bronx is also a plus because there are a lot of immigrants, so I get to talk in Spanglish, and that makes me feel at home.

I also teach stained glass at my studio in Ridgewood, Queens. I get students of all ages, I’ve been really enjoying doing couples classes. Partners that join the class together and family members. I recently had a mother-and-son class, and it was very cute.

Valentine’s day is coming and I’m asking people how are love and their jobs intertwined.

It is from this love that I find inspiration. My passion and fascination with plants, nature, and sacred geometry are my life motors. I find such a gratifying feeling every time I finish a new piece. That feeling just makes me fall in love with the glass and the effect it has when light travels through it 🙂

A major theme in my work is the connection with nature and the organic expressions that emerge from that relationship. In flowers, fractal patterns appear and geometric compositions become apparent. Through these geometric patterns, we can witness the perfect balance of life and creation in the spiraled recurrence of time and space.

I am not in love with anyone right now except myself, my nephew, and my art—well, maybe with my friends because they are all gorgeous humans who inspire me and encourage me to believe in myself and do what I do with love, gratefulness, and passion.

Any advice for international artists that are trying to succeed away from home?

Sure! First of all, I think that If you don’t believe in what you do, then you are not ready. On the other hand, I find a lot of ego in artists, but if you think of yourself as a “higher or better truth than the rest”, and you don't let the universe enter into your work, you are wrong! It is very important to understand what your message is. I believe that art belongs to the universe, and we are just responding to it and expressing it through the tools we learned to use. Everyone can be an artist, you are not special, we all are. If you dedicate time and love, and if you respect your work, the universe will open the doors to more opportunities! Life can be hard and it feels impossible to be optimistic, I know, but when that happens I tend to isolate myself in the studio and make more art. Lots of interesting discoveries happen during those times.

You are part of the contemporary art community here in New York. What spaces/networks/artists would you like to highlight? And specifically from Queens?

I am part of a few art collectives in Brooklyn and Queens. Paradise Palace is a gallery and studio that provides opportunities for artists. I have had at least 1 exhibition each year since I joined them.
Phase Space is a DIY maker-space, multimedia studio, and experimental collective. They are dedicated to the exploration of video, sound, performance, creative coding, math + science, and interdisciplinary art practices.
Flux Factory, based in LIC, Queens. I joined when I moved to NYC and they’ve been a great community, they share lots of open calls, resources, and opportunities for artists.
Woodbine and Topos Cafe are places I visit a lot in Queens. Also outdoor events in parks! Last year we created a healing arts festival at Cleveland Park in Ridgewood.

What's next?

I currently have a show at Lagoon, it is an independent art space and retail store where I will be showing my collection of work Natura Sanctuarii, which is inspired by the reproductive systems of flowers that are used for their healing properties.

In April I'll be doing a set design with sculptures and lights for my friend Agua Viva’s performance. I will be posting more details on my website soon! And I’m working on the most important project of my life as an artist so far, it will be at The Lincoln Center next October. Stay tuned!

I see glass as an analog of the disconnect that humans have to nature’s systems and fragility.

Would you like to add something?

Yes! You asked me “why sculptures” but not “why glass”. Glass has similarities with water: light and color can travel through both media, and they also reflect it. Glass as a material is not stochastic, it is a moving fluid that cannot be witnessed on a human scale. It is also fragile. I see glass as an analog of the disconnect that humans have to nature’s systems and fragility.

With my work I want to generate a symbolic language decoding information that we all have in our biological structure and memory, highlighting the beauty of basic coincidences. A sensitive atmosphere to recognize the universe from its macro (fractals) to its micro (cells) expressed in the mathematics and the geometry of the holographic figures. My work invites us to establish a deeper contemplation of our universe, and the message is an essential ceremony for health and spirituality. If everything is determined by how and what we perceive, understanding the mechanics of perception can contribute to changing our own reality.

︎ MY LOVE TO DISTORTION BY SHIS UNUSUAL

Enlightening the Perception of Space, by Valeria Divinorum

Light in tangible architecture creates space you cannot touch, becoming an extension of form, casting color and shadows.

I see glass as an analog of the disconnect that humans have to nature’s systems and fragility.