Caden Gunn -Final Blog Prompt 'Candy Spill' by Felix Gonzales-Torres

    Love is a gift and like everything good in the world must come to an end. Existential themes such as these are very difficult yet equally as important to discuss not only through speech, but through art. Art allows us to express ourselves in ways speech never could. I think that's why I was drawn to Candy Spill. Felix Gonzalez-Torres is a powerful artist who transforms personal pain into deeply moving art. His ability to channel loss and love into works like Candy Spill allows viewers to connect with universal themes of mortality and the fragility of human relationships. The piece is an installation inspired by his late partner who was stolen from him by AIDS.

    The piece reflects themes of love, loss, and mortality which are arguably some of the hardest things someone can do. When you love someone, you're essentially doing this in understanding that one day you will no longer be able to, this applies to every relationship in someone's life. My interpretation of the candy is a dichotomy, it can be taken by the viewer which can symbolize the decaying of life, or it can display love for a person throughout all parts of life. My reason for the aforementioned is because we are not constant and are ever developing, along with the installation. 

    Everyone you love will leave you due to mortality or other reasons. Candy reflects the sweetness as a juxtaposition to the decaying of the human life which represents creativity on his part; this is especially impressive due to the pain he's going through. Although the impact he has on society isn't large, it still provides a subtle yet important message on the impermanence of life; life ends, we have to love the people in our lives as much as we can while we have them around, while we're still around, because love is an agreement that it will one day end.