Statement of Work

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Much of my work is created on a basis of my immediate surroundings and environment, the interior spaces we occupy, in our own bodies, and in our physical spaces. This interest developed from early memories associated with the homes my mother worked in. Remembered glimpses of these spaces that were mine to play in, but not my home. These memories intertwine with those of my own home and interior narrative sense of self. Driven by ideas of repetition and accumulation, these patterns repeat ourselves, and we continue to collect objects, it is here we find comfort in the quotidian. The use of photography allows for these two concepts to be reinforced.

I use my visual narrative as a way to define my experience growing up. I am exploring personal/cultural identity specific to my experience. Some symbols I use to convey this include, but are not limited to, religious motifs like La Virgen de Guadalupe, common objects and foods as representative of passage of time, and astroturf as a surrogate for the unattainable American Dream. Self- portraiture, both traditional and conceptual, has become a way for me to emphasize that these are reimagined representations of memories and reinterpretations of established symbolisms. These concepts are formed around the cultural divide enacted towards me by communities I interacted with regularly. Through my work, I invoke the spaces of culture that we all have a close familiarity to. With the use of different elements and mediums, I am aiming towards creating an environment in which viewers can experience my work in an interactive and immersive manner.