Oil painting on paper 33 x 48 cm
 
The painting presents a deeply emotional scene: a boy wearing a Pikachu hoodie holding an abstract drawing made up of various black-and-white lines and geometric figures. This contrast highlights the disparity between his childlike clothing and the more serious content of the artwork he is holding. The boy is positioned in front of a teal-colored wall, with cracks that add a sense of fragility and melancholy to the atmosphere.
The story behind this piece originates in a mountain village in Honduras, where I taught art classes to children living in great hardship. The boy depicted in the painting is named Milton, and his signature can be found at the bottom of the drawing he holds. That day, Milton arrived late to class and couldn’t participate with the others. His sadness was so overwhelming that he cried and wouldn’t allow anyone to approach him.
I decided to take some time to sit with him and explain a few things. I placed a sheet of paper on an old table and asked Milton to try replicating a drawing exercise. I stayed by his side until he finished. In a short time, Milton received encouragement and attention from his peers, who cheered him on and motivated him. It was at that moment that I took my camera and captured a photograph of Milton with his work. However, he still seemed very sad, which puzzled me.
When I observed his gaze, I felt a profound emotional connection. I realized that I wasn’t so different from Milton. The boy’s expression became etched in my memory and inspired me to create this portrait. In the next class, Milton arrived happy, his sadness overcome. It was as if, through that artwork, he had left his pain behind. From that day on, I never saw that expression of sadness on him again.
This piece evokes intense emotions and alludes to the transformative power of art to express and heal human feelings, even in the youngest hearts.