Sculptor Daniel dela Cruz reinterprets Alice in Wonderland, this time focusing on the innocence of Alice and the quirkiness of the characters she meets during her adventures. 

In contrast to the chaotic, surreal nature depicted by Lewis Carroll’s original tale, “Back at the Tea Party” by dela Cruz brings a delicate, introspective touch to the story, emphasizing Alice’s purity and vulnerability. Through his signature use of brass, copper, and other metals, the artist creates intricate sculptures that embody both fragility and strength, highlighting the tension between Alice’s childlike curiosity and wonder, and the challenging world around her.

The characters Alice meets, such as the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter, are revisited with a focus on their roles as forces that test her innocence. The Cheshire Cat, with its knowing grin and ability to vanish into thin air, symbolizes the ambiguity of adulthood and the uncertainty that comes with growing up. The Queen of Hearts represents the harsh, arbitrary demands of authority that threaten to suppress Alice’s purity. The Mad Hatter’s eccentricity, in turn, reflects the inanity and unpredictability of life’s challenges. Dela Cruz juxtaposes these complex figures with Alice’s delicate, enduring form, celebrating her resilience amid the absurdity and chaos of Wonderland.

Through these sculptural interpretations, dela Cruz offers a deeper, more introspective exploration of Alice’s journey, using Wonderland as a metaphor for the trials of growing up while maintaining innocence and purity in a world that constantly tests both.

"Back at the Tea Party" by Daniel dela Cruz is on view at Galerie Joaquin Rockwell until Nov. 17. The gallery is at the R3 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City.