Hasta La Raíz explores the intersection of textile, pattern, and cultural identity through portraiture as living carriers of cultural memory. The work reflects on Mexican-American identity, navigating the space between two cultures while resisting the erasure that can accompany acculturation. References to agriculture, folklórico, vaquero traditions, and horsemanship speak to generational labor, survival, and pride; traditions that are lived, worn, and passed down to the artist. This lived experience informs the unapologetic presence of cultural symbols and the choice to center family and self within the imagery. Together, the works form a narrative of belonging, continuity, and cultural pride that reflects the vibrancy and depth of Mexican culture.
Please enjoy the artist exhibition celebrating Mexican identity as something that’s vibrant, powerful, and worthy of visibility.
Desvelado, 2025
Oil on Canvas, 24 x 18 inches
After the Zapateado, 2024
Graphite on Paper, 24 x 18 inches
Ni de aquí, ni de allá, 2025
Oil on Canvas, 22 x 28 inches
Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Viva México, 2025
Oil on Canvas, 24 x 36 inches
Las Olas, 2024
Oil on Canvas, 26 x 30 inches
Amber Ureña is a Mexican-American artist whose practice is rooted in her lived experience. She’s a proud daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico who ensured that their language, customs, and stories remained alive after emigrating to the U.S. That history is something she carries with pride, and reflects it unapologetically in her identity and artwork.
Amber Ureña (She/Her/Ella)
University of California, San Diego | Class of 2026
Human Biology (B.S.), Minor in Visual Studio Art and Global Health