Visual artist Stephanie Cime's series "Drops of I Am", is captivating audiences in Belgium's busiest shopping district with an inflatable based on her series "Drops of I Am". This body of work encourages viewers to challenge preconceived notions, embrace radical authenticity, and find beauty in imperfection. This article contains a meditation !
Through her art Cime aims to inspire personal growth and interconnectedness among viewers. Engaging with her work invites individuals to tap into the limitless potential of their consciousness, awakening to the profound truth that they are co-creators of their own reality.
Cime has developed a unique visual language, creating hypnotic "DROPS" that are cut in half to reveal their inner essence. The pursuit of "radical authenticity" is embodied by the small central DROP, symbolizing each viewer's essence or true nature. The words "I AM" contained within the central drop embody dual significance, reflecting the interconnectedness of all beings, our shared unity akin to drops of water in the ocean, rooted in the spiritual principle of non-duality. Simultaneously, it acknowledges our individuality as unique humans, each embodying a personal subjective "I AM".
Surrounding this central symbol, lines convey a dual narrative in movement: from the outermost line towards the central drop, they symbolize the barriers that hinder us from realizing our full potential, including constraining beliefs, negative patterns, childhood trauma, resistance, fear, judgment, and ego, primarily operating at a subconscious level. Conversely, moving from the central drop outward, the lines represent the ripple effect when we embrace our true selves, marking the journey towards self-empowerment and self-ownership.
Cime integrates these visual lines to create illusions, aiming for a hypnotic effect on viewers. Her deliberate intention is to engage viewers at a subconscious level, as she believes the subconscious mind is crucial for personal transformation.
The inflatable "DROP OF I AM", is created especially for the Antwerp on Air Festival. This installation is rooted in the visual language she developed over time, which called "Drops of I AM.” Much like drops of water in the ocean, these drops are both unique and universal.
"I AM" are two of the most powerful words we can speak. Ninety-five percent of our behavior is driven by our subconscious. When we give a direct instruction to our subconscious that begins with "I AM," it strives to make that statement a reality. Everything we have ever experienced is stored in our subconscious mind. Some experiences leave a profound emotional impact, creating stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the world around us.
Our lives are shaped by these stories, which in turn shape our realities. However, not all of them serve us well. Expectations, fears, and the need for conformity keep us from the freedom to live our truth, to feel free to express ourselves, and to live the lives we truly desire.
The drops aim to remind us that we are powerful creators in control of our lives if we are willing to confront these limiting beliefs. The key to this transformation lies in the subconscious, which governs 95% of our behaviors, actions, thoughts, and emotions. By accessing and changing our subconscious beliefs, we can open up a world of new possibilities. These ideas form the basis of Cime's visual language and the guided meditations that accompany the "Drops of I AM" sculptures.
Stephanie Cime says : "In each drop, the central drop with the words "I AM" symbolizes the notion that we can embrace our true selves. Surrounding this central drop are layers that prevent us from reaching our true essence. If we find the courage to rewrite these stories and peel away the layers that have accumulated over the years, we can move closer to our true core—free from expectations, conformity, fears, resistance, and limiting beliefs".
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