The work The Sum of Life is inspired by the idea that we are the result of our life experiences, together with the thoughts and actions they provoke. It draws on the philosophical theory of empiricism and on ideas put forward by the philosophers John Locke, an empiricist, and Jean-Paul Sartre, an existentialist (1952).

Throughout life, certain events and situations arise that differ from everyday experience and leave a profound mark on each person’s psyche, leading them to make important decisions that will shape and alter the course of their life. These are personal and social events that generate emotions, reactions and thoughts, which in turn influence personal and social responses over the years. Those responses differ from one person to another and may even vary within the same person, depending on the emotions and memories associated with each experience. Whether through repetition or through a powerful impact, and whether they remain at a conscious or subconscious level, these experiences leave their mark and give rise to subsequent reactions and change.

Each bag represents one of those significant events that stands out from everyday situations and decisions. Each one has a colour, or a combination of colours, and a fibre or blend of different fibres that represent these emotions and changes. The empty bag refers to a personal experience that has passed into the subconscious and is no longer remembered, but still has an effect.

The golden thread represents the passage of time from one event to another, linking them and giving continuity to The Sum of Life.