Diana Tartaglia

Submitter Statement:

The Quixotic Fragments Within Us

Alonso Quijano, a simple man who loved books, was seen as a lunatic—dreaming not only
adolescent fantasies, but dangerous ones. He longed to revive a forgotten code of honor, virtue, and justice to become a knight-errant. And that is exactly what he did. He was a fool to many who crossed his path, yet he always thought the best of them, and did not realize the mal intent. Cervantes beautifully depicted Quixote with Christ-like qualities. A man who was constantly mocked, battered and bruised for defending the defiled, the outcasts, and the marginalized. He gave a voice to those with no status because of the divine worth of all human beings. Quixote was crazy. He saw whores as beautiful princesses and his lanky horse as a strong stead.

Don Quixote is that beacon of light to see people for their potential, for their effort. He leaves space for mistakes, flaws, and idiosyncrasies as not an impediment to contributing to the world, not because others are imperfect, but because he captured the hearts of the entire world with the first publication in 1605 until now, because audiences seemingly root for this underdog whose convictions we laugh and cry at, because we wish we could be as brave as he is. He inspires us to do the same.

The purpose of the mosaic is to reflect on the unique character of Don Quixote who changed the world. My hope is that this mosaic can inspire us all to be more like he who dared to dream, more like our Savior, to astonish the world and “go forth and serve”. To go against societal norms courageously, full of faith, will all our broken pieces that uniquely make us who we are.

Entry Description:

I bought a 10x10 wood piece and utilized it for the base of the mosaic. The process started on February 2nd and ended February 28th, 2025, spending over 40 hours on its completion. The total of all products was $106.77.

To start, I sketched the portrait of Don Quixote, followed by cutting the mosaic tiles with a tool to get them in the size and shaped desired to try to depict the right shapes and shadows. I used a broken mirror for the armor and in his eyes for the on-looker to see themselves in him. After the tile and mirror dried, grout was spread across the mosaic, sponging off excess. It dried, following some minor painting touch ups. To finalize the piece, I sprayed a sealant coat. I found myself obsessing with this piece, with a strange understanding for one’s brain drying up.