Códigos Del Mediterraneo 2010

Douglas Abdell’s “Códigos Del Mediterraneo”, or Mediterranean Codes, presents a deeply personal and culturally resonant intersection of identity and history. Abdell, born to Lebanese immigrants in Boston, layers his work with references to his ancestral heritage and the complexities of diaspora. The sculpture is a striking contrast in textures: a dark, seemingly charred wooden base supports a lighter stone or plaster top incised with symbols. The juxtaposition of these materials evokes themes of destruction and creation, memory and resilience. As Abdell said himself, his sculptures function like ‘visual poems.’ The symbols cut into the stone invite us to decode them. The work reflects on Mediterranean history and the artist’s own experiences as a Lebanese-American navigating multiple cultural identities. This piece serves as a meditation on cultural memory, displacement, and the enduring power of heritage in shaping personal identity.