English tenses

English Tenses is a powerful exploration of language barriers and the frustration that comes with them. This painting uses physical frames to symbolize the three tenses—past, present, and future—used in the English language to conjugate verbs. These frames are painted in the three primary colors, representing the artist’s perception of them as primitive and limiting, especially when compared to the 16 tenses in Spanish and the 14 in Italian.

The artist expresses a deep sense of alienation and inadequacy, feeling that the simplicity of English tenses fails to capture the complexity of their thoughts and emotions. This linguistic limitation creates a barrier, making the artist feel as though they sound simple and even unintelligent when trying to express themselves in English.

In the painting, the artist views the frames from an outside perspective, highlighting the sense of foreignness and disconnection from the language. The frames seem to pass by, just out of reach, symbolizing the artist’s struggle to feel a sense of belonging with the English language. This experience is a poignant metaphor for the life of an immigrant, constantly navigating the challenges of communication and the feeling of being an outsider in a new cultural context.