At first, I found this sculpture unnerving. The family appears isolated and distant. But when I looked at an image of the sculpture recently, I was surprised to find it extremely moving. Each member of the family is formed by the same wooden background. They are attached to each other despite their individual, seemingly disengaged expressions. Like many of us, I am quarantined with my entire immediate family. We each still struggle with feelings of anxiety and yet we have this unifying, unmoving substrate of love and support between us. Despite the moments when our faces might resemble the family members in Marisol’s portrait, we are a unit. Rather than unnerved, now this sculpture makes me feel incredibly lucky.

Submitted by Emily Shoyer, Project Coordinator, Office of the Director