My art reflects my identity, shaped by observing my parents support our family through labor and my mother’s migration journey from Panamá. It explores themes of Latin American labor, oral histories, the material culture from Latin America, and human figurative sculpture.
Each sculpture tells a story through its materials: red earthenware, construction supplies, gold, second-hand clothes, metal, and wood. These materials are more than just physical objects; they carry significant meaning. The red earthenware connects to both the ceramic traditions throughout Latin America as well as modern bricks used in construction. Second-hand clothes, in their vibrant hues, represent the cultural richness of color in Latin America through garments accessible to working-class people today. Building materials symbolize the labor that shaped them and acknowledge the significant contributions of our community to the broader American landscape.
In my work, human figures and forms engage in a dialogue between past and present, labor and migration, familial connections and individual aspirations. Each material choice connects our heritage with the present, reflecting on the changes we seek. Through my art, I aim to honor the resilience and hopes of those who came before, while contemplating the collective journey that informs our identity and guides us toward a hopeful future.
