Empathy: Tribute to love by Irene Sekulic
To my dear friend Arroz, my beloved cat who left me too soon.
The bond between humans and animals, especially cats, goes beyond mere companionship; it's a profound connection that transcends words. The love and empathy exchanged in this unique relationship contribute to personal growth and a heightened sense of compassion. The unconditional affection from a cat, coupled with their intuitive understanding, has a transformative impact on individuals. Exploring this deep connection has not only made me a better human but has also enriched my understanding of empathy, kindness, and the beauty of shared emotions between different species. In the gentle purring and affectionate gestures of a cat, one discovers a silent yet powerful language that nurtures the soul and fosters a more compassionate existence.
The serie "Empathy, Tribute to love” created with the assistance of artificial intelligence by artist Irene Sekulic, is a piece that redefines the concept of empathy and human connection. This aesthetically innovative and impactful work leads us to explore love as a higher intelligence, capable of transcending barriers in human communication and connecting living beings in a meaningful relationship. In emotions. In love.
The creation of this piece stems from the sudden loss of the artist's cat, with whom she shared a very close and daily relationship.
In our contemporary world, the loss of a person is recognised as profound grief, but the same understanding is not always extended when it is an animal that departs. Yet, the pain is equally intense, as it involves the loss of a reciprocal and two-way relationship.
"Arroz often drove me crazy because he followed me everywhere. As soon as I returned home, he was already there, meowing, and I barely had time to enter before he twined his tail between my legs. He sought contact, always.
Perhaps it can be challenging to express in words the symbiosis that is created with these beings capable of giving love and forming a relationship full of feelings, emotions, and empathy.
Art, as always, is my way of navigating life's experiences, especially those which break my heart. And this series is a tribute to our love, his presence, to him because he was important to me.
I miss him deeply, as I miss the people I loved and that unfortunately left me too soon.
Art is my way to say I love you.
Because I do.
I love and for ever love my little friend who walked in life with me for 12 years.
Is love, emotional intelligence, exclusively human? The answer is here.