RECO Hidden Souls

What is the life force behind our existence?

What defines us as human beings?

Some call it the soul. In Hebrew, it is Ruach. In Spanish, Alma. All these words attempt to capture the elusive essence of humanity.

I have seen young soldiers die beside me—just seconds before, we were laughing together. Then, with a sniper’s bullet, they were gone. Beyond my agony of losing so many friends, I couldn’t help but ask: Where are they now?

It was clear to me that the lifeless body was merely a vessel—a vase for the flower that had laughed just moments ago. The vase belongs to the Earth and will return to it, but the flower—the soul—is eternal. Now freed from its physical confines, it can wander among the stars.

I named my artwork Hidden Souls, inspired by these thoughts. Though we cannot see them, I feel their presence. The sudden loss of young lives does not go unnoticed in the unseen realm. The Hidden Souls are shattered and broken in my painting, reflecting my grief in those dark times.