Vivian Carbonell

Brass-plated sinkers, ribbon, turquoise cotton velvet, white oak frame

The Wait/Weight of It is a quiet meditation on memory, time, and the inheritance of stories. Inspired by the artist’s childhood fishing trips with her grandfather in the Florida Keys, the piece features thirteen 12oz brass-plated bank sinkers suspended on a delicate ribbon, resting against a backdrop of turquoise cotton velvet—an evocation of sea and sky. The ensemble is framed in white oak, grounding the work in warmth and craft.

The title plays on the dual meaning of “wait” and “weight”: the lingering stillness of anticipation while fishing, and the literal heft of the sinkers themselves. More than just a nod to the act of fishing, the work honors the deeper ritual—the exchange of stories, wisdom, and presence that unfolded in those quiet, sunlit moments. The true catch, as the artist reflects, was never the fish, but the connection shared across generations.