Origins
The Ecstasy of Surrender is an immersive art project I began in 2013 blending paint, performance, video, photography and installation. At the time I was stuck creatively when an impulse came to pour paint over myself and record it. I didn’t know why it felt right, only that the color, texture, and mess sparked something visceral in my body.
It was liberating, and the images were striking. I invited friends to participate, curious how others might respond to the experience of paint poured over their bodies. Over time the experiment grew into a shared space for playful mess-making and creative collaboration.
Process
The process begins with the body as a canvas, adorned in materials like paint and charcoal. The participant is both creator and muse. Sometimes there’s a feeling of unscripted performance. We strike a balance of control, intention and intuitive response. We explore mark making by sweeping, sliding and imprinting the body on paper and canvas.
The camera is also a participant. Photography and video archives become stand alone works of art and serve as reference for future drawings and paintings.
The camera is also a participant. Photography and video archives become stand alone works of art and serve as reference for future drawings and paintings.
Evolution
I’m fascinated by how people respond to the experience. It’s out of the ordinary, vulnerable and brings about a kind of release. As participants surrender to the messiness of the materials, a primal, childlike playfulness emerges.
The project is continually evolving into new collaborations and exhibitions. I’m interested in connecting with artists, curators, and spaces open to exploring or presenting the work in new ways.
The project is continually evolving into new collaborations and exhibitions. I’m interested in connecting with artists, curators, and spaces open to exploring or presenting the work in new ways.
Artist's Bio
Wesley Cabral is a multidisciplinary artist working across painting, performance, video, installation, and public art. Her practice bridges traditional and contemporary forms, with the human body at the center of her work.
Her early career focused on video installation and projection design for theater. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, she created award-winning designs and received critical acclaim for her work in local and regional productions, later expanding into production design for film.
Cabral eventually shifted away from theater to focus on more personal projects. She spent several years in San Francisco and New York collaborating with other artists and expanding her ongoing series, The Ecstasy of Surrender — a long term project that merges painting, performance, photography, and video in immersive ways. This evolving body of work reflects her passion for creative processes that are collaborative and experiential.
Her paintings and drawings merge contemporary figurative realism with expressive stylization, exploring themes of identity and performance while engaging the physical gesture and presence of the body. Through expressive mark-making, layered texture, and vivid color, her work conveys both intimacy and psychological depth, balancing tenderness and theatricality.
As a muralist, Cabral is passionate about using visual art for social justice. Her murals can be found throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center in Oakland, CA.
Recent projects include a new painting series exploring the lives of people living on the streets of San Francisco, alongside ongoing figurative and collaborative work. Her artwork was also featured in a group exhibition of local contemporary artists at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
She holds a BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
Her early career focused on video installation and projection design for theater. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, she created award-winning designs and received critical acclaim for her work in local and regional productions, later expanding into production design for film.
Cabral eventually shifted away from theater to focus on more personal projects. She spent several years in San Francisco and New York collaborating with other artists and expanding her ongoing series, The Ecstasy of Surrender — a long term project that merges painting, performance, photography, and video in immersive ways. This evolving body of work reflects her passion for creative processes that are collaborative and experiential.
Her paintings and drawings merge contemporary figurative realism with expressive stylization, exploring themes of identity and performance while engaging the physical gesture and presence of the body. Through expressive mark-making, layered texture, and vivid color, her work conveys both intimacy and psychological depth, balancing tenderness and theatricality.
As a muralist, Cabral is passionate about using visual art for social justice. Her murals can be found throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center in Oakland, CA.
Recent projects include a new painting series exploring the lives of people living on the streets of San Francisco, alongside ongoing figurative and collaborative work. Her artwork was also featured in a group exhibition of local contemporary artists at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
She holds a BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
Interested in Collaborating?
Send a message with your ideas and questions.
I'll follow up within a day or two.
I'll follow up within a day or two.
Thank you for reaching out. I'll be in touch.