Artist Statement

Through means of photography, marked gestures with oils and acrylics, writings, and assemblages I record the narratives that give life to my family and community in order to fill a null space within our history, and at the same time leave an impression within those who are able to find themselves within my pieces. Traditional art lends itself to translate sensations and memories which cannot be communicated verbally. I often find myself writing letters to others as well as for moments. I often reflect and put myself in the shoes of my family and their experiences. Finding moments where one can deconstruct and look for origins for both societal and communal issues and inquiries. Bringing up in depth research of collective and individual longing as well as growth throughout these experiences. When making work I intend to preserve and pass down my knowledge and wisdom to future generations, so they may have a greater chance at dealing with generational trauma and the human condition overall. I look at my practice as an investment that I can bestow as my legacy for loved ones in the future.

My inspirations stem from the writings of Subcomandante Marcos and Paulo Freire, as well as artists such as Jaime Muñoz, Remedios Varo, Ricardo Santos Hernandez, Emilia Cruz and musicians Saul Hernandez and Gustavo Cerati, among many others. They tend to focus on themes of education, revolution in Latin America, the Latinx and Chican@ experience, surrealism, and metaphorical narratives. This concoction of writers, artists and musicians have inspired me to delve into critical feeling and intuition as an effective form of researching and learning: where wisdom and knowledge combine with creativity find answers that cannot be found within “rational or fact-based” methodologies.

In my painting, Corazón Entunado Chorrea, it depicts the stories of agriculture and landscape where my grandfather reveals his longing for the old Guadalajara and Zacatecas, as well as his hate for the current innovations in Mexico. Whereas in my photographs I capture my family's life and the way I encounter it. I record our traditions, survival, moments and what it means to be at home. In a distant manner I seek for audiences that I can connect to. Where I can influence the viewer to investigate and document more about themselves and their identity, in order to bring about unity and community based solutions.

Humbly and firmly, I devote myself to what I create so that I can dedicate my work as a form of gratitude, love, guidance and proudness to my loved ones. In hopes that each stage of my work leads to critically intuitive driven crecimiento (growth) and sanación (healing). Education goes beyond repetition and solid “fact.” Knowledge has always stemmed from storytelling, passion, visions and the continuation of these.