Medicina, 2020
Acrylic, thread, repurposed button, geode crystals on canvas
60” x 48”
Between Mars and Jupiter, 2020
Acrylic, thread on canvas
24” x 36”
Healing Rituals, 2018 (Installation view & detail)
Corn husk, compression bandages, rubber band, medical tubing, thread, needle, twine, yard stick
Dimensions variable
Healing Rituals is intended as a site of contemplation, activated in an effort to protect the subjective authenticity of my cultural heritage by evoking the long standing strands of memory linking the years of my childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Through the cyclical handling of sacred hojas de maiz imbued with ancestral symbolism, I am rhythmically participating in familial traditions and contributing to the perseverance of a generational history that is deeply rooted in matriarchal ritualistic practices.
Untitled, 2018
Mixed media on paper
23” x 17”
Untitled 2, 2018
Mixed media on paper
23” x 16”
Untitled 3, 2018
Mixed media on paper
23” x 16”
Untitled 4, 2018
Mixed media on paper
24” x 18”
As an ongoing extension of a body of work concerning the ways in which the weight of the male gaze is internalized, these works are an embodiment on the nature of pervading social constructions as they relate to gender and notions of otherness. In particular, they are assembled representations exploring the biological and the environmental conditioning systems that shape perceptions of the feminine beauty ideal and subsequently, perpetuate the sexual objectification of the body. More importantly, they are an attempt to nurture healing through the symbolic dismantlement of distorted forms and values.
The Lust of the Flesh, 2016
Latex house paint, wood glue, juniper berries, pink Himalayan salt, sage on canvas
48” x 52” x 2”
The Sound of Shooting Stars, 2016
Latex house paint, wood glue, juniper berries, pink Himalayan salt, sage on canvas
38.5” x 47.5” x 2”
Internalizing the Weight of the Male Gaze, 2016
Pins, thread, fish sinkers, found paper male anatomical illustrations, found paper dolls on book covers and spine
14” x 41” x 1”
Internalizing the Weight of the Male Gaze is an examination of the historical relevance of teaching materials. It is a consideration of educational toys and tools as weapons that are systematically designed to play a role in reinforcing the socially constructed notion of the feminine beauty ideal. The result of this conditioning is the persistence and prevalence of the objectification of women, therefore psychologically and physically stripping them of their agency and internally and externally affecting the ways in which they are forced to navigate the spaces they occupy.
Contemplative Crossing, 2012
Burlap, hemp cord, thread, metal, screen mesh on board in found frame
31” x 19” x 1”
Contemplative Crossing is an expression of my fascination with the symbolic significance of water in folklore, specifically the belief that its magical properties act as a cleansing force and a means to ward off negative forces.
Playscape, 2012
Acrylic, latex house paint, found wood, found rope, found metal, found wire mesh, on found baking pan
27” x 20” x 4”
Playscape is a visual form of word play, touching on the interchangeability of what or who, can be sconsidered a playful landscape characterized by the occurrence of enjoyment by the public and all those that interact with it and pointing towards deconstructing the paradigms of power that culturally manufacture the objectification of women’s bodies.
Conceptions of Aging, 2012
Brass handle, egg carton, gouache, metal, latex house paint on wood panel in found frame
18” x 18” x 1”
Conceptions of Aging is the result of my interest in, and subsequent research on, philosophical perspectives concerning issues relating to the human aging process.