Reliquary Heart

Project Overview

Reliquary Heart is a visual declaration of my renewed connection to my Catholic and Mexican faith. Drawing from the Sacred Heart and traditional devotional imagery, the piece reimagines the anatomical heart as a vessel of both spiritual fire and human vulnerability. The radiating marks echo milagro-inspired bursts, placing the heart at the center of an almost cosmic act of devotion.

The flames and droplets reference the duality of faith—purifying and consuming, comforting and overwhelming. In carving the linoleum, every gouge became a prayer-like gesture, revealing light through removal. The stark black and white contrast honors the bold visual language of Mexican religious prints and ex-votos.

This work reflects my evolving relationship with inherited spirituality: the ways faith can anchor you, challenge you, and burn brightly inside you, even when everything else feels uncertain.