‘Clouded Infinity began with the idea of life cycles. It depicts a woman early in her pregnancy, perhaps around four months. Her hands clasp her belly, cradling its small bulge. The room she sits in is large and empty, save for a plant, some flowers, and her shoes. I wanted to capture the feeling I felt in the first uncertain months of my own pregnancy. Any attempt to imagine the future seemed impossible, like looking into a mirror fogged with breath.

In the Popol Vuh, a text relating the myths of a Mayan peoples, there is a story that tells of an error the gods made when they created humankind. In the story, the gods accidentally give humans a divine power: the vision of the gods, which allows them to see all the way to infinity. Perturbed at their mistake, the gods cloud the vision of humans. During my pregnancy, it was as if another being, this enigmatic creation growing inside me, had likewise muddled my ability to envision the future.

At present, the form our collective future might take is more veiled and obscured than ever. Even though many of our basic assumptions have been thrown into unpredictability, however, there are still things that anchor us. Despite the many chaotic conditions under which women have to give birth – whether a pandemic or, as in the case of my imagined village, some other form of catastrophic loss – children remain symbols of hope.

This piece is very much about the flowering of hope amidst sadness and grief. Despite all the loss around us, children are still being born. These new lives arriving during this time bring a glimpse of joy and unconditional love.’ – María Berrío