First of all, I want to thank Raquel Blanco (@natura_fotos_) for allowing me to paint this work, based on an image of her in which she participated as a photographer and protagonist. Raquel is a person who, with her works and the texts that accompany them, goes beyond the limits of the online world with a message that at least for me is really valuable: "This is me." Direct, real, natural, bare chest. In each publication she leaves a piece of her soul. Fascinates me! It was always clear to me that I was going to end up painting this image, what I didn't know was that it would be in record time….

I cannot continue without stressing that despite presenting this work for a gender violence contest, for me, the fight against violence should not be remembered for a single day a year nor does it understand the sexes: women, men, heterosexual couples and / or or homosexuals ... Today a type of violence is claimed: against women, but let's not forget the rest of the victims of domestic violence. Let us not point to the man as the only culprit in any case and at any price (unless the violence is against another man ... the protocols are different there, right?). As always, from my point of view, I believe that education is the only way for everyone: neither princes nor princesses; neither executioners nor victims. Equality

Fear is a state for which there must also be a predisposition and in many cases, we are creating our own imaginary monster, not allowing us to recognize the real one when we have it in front of us.

Self-esteem, education in values, equality and respect on November 25 and all the rest: there is no more.

At this point, leaving aside my way of thinking based on my own experiences and my surroundings, and focusing on the image of the painting and what it conveys for me, I make use of a phrase that I read a few days ago: “Don't be afraid of it failure. Fear the comfort zone. " This "zone" is lack of self-esteem camouflaged as normality, as harmful as the false and forced love of the Stockholm Syndrome. The chains that one day we confuse with the red thread that unites two souls in the case of a sentimental relationship, each time weigh and tighten more if we ourselves make them grow by feeding them with our fears and remaining static. They are just imaginary strings. Breathe… are you still alive? Then you can do it: get rid of that weight, the fear and the bonds. Live free and happy, but above all LIVE. You do not need anything else at the moment, because life does not stop testing us and on more than one occasion we will meet again "Breaking Chains" (*** Applicable to any type of relationship: family, sentimental, work, and of course regardless of gender or condition)

However, we are not all victims: we can also make our environment feel this bad on a smaller scale most of the time. Would you know how to recognize yourself as an oppressor in any of the facets of your life and give an unexpected turn to the story by disappearing before it reaches a turning point? Could you live with the frustration of not knowing yourself to be the winner in your endeavor?

The following text is from Raquel Blanco (@natura_fotos_). Not only have I taken advantage of her art as a photographer, but I also asked her to please give me one of her texts. You already know that I would love for the images that I work to speak to me and in this case, it does so through Raquel. I can only say THANK YOU!

"Came the day.
She steeled herself, regained her strength, and gathered momentum. She was determined to break the chains that held her down for so long.
The accumulated pain of so many years was visible in his face, in his exhausted body and in his mind.
A voice inside her was crying out for her to react, to be who she was again.
And that's how he took back the reins of a life, his own, how he regained his cheerful and sociable personality, how he began to smile again.
The day had come ... "

Rachel White (@natura_fotos_)

P.S. Image and text need background music to finish feeling them: “Luz Casal & Carlos Nuñez” - Negra Sombra: https://youtu.be/gdnVZE5I8Os