Symbolism and narratives are a fundamental basis for focusing on the art of Vasconcelos. Art exerts its power by allowing an object (or subject) to embody a meaning that reaches beyond its nature. When considered in its natural surroundings, an animal is simply an animal. The symbolic process is activated after cultural differences have been experienced through time, leading to meanings and narratives that change from place to place, but also influence each other and stratify. A symbol is generated through the association of numerous unrelated elements. What fascinates Vasconcelos is this ambivalent and contrasting relationship with the animal—the fact that the same subject can attract or shock, having been ascribed both beneficial and malignant effects. Vasconcelos tells us that the way we perceive animals and relate to them reveals something about ourselves, too.