˚ ༘⋅Artist Statement⋅ ༘˚

I am interested in objects of ritual as records of their owner’s existence, habits and identity. The collection of these discarded articles of everyday life forms the foundation of my practice. Sourcing material from my environment, family and community, the objects in my work reference Bronx culture, familial childhood experiences, Latinx history and its relationship with the United States. Repurposing these items, I transform them into artifacts that take the form of collage, sculpture and installation. 

Used Café Bustelo coffee packaging from Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx becomes the base for image transfers that trace my family’s history. Old hoop earrings that belonged to either myself or my mother transform into hanging dreamcatchers that allude to the motherland of the Puerto Rican diaspora. Dandelions are picked, dried and used in wish jars that are given as offerings to my ancestors.

Utilizing the material gathered from my community, I transform them into conveyors of histories. The experiences of our families and communities are often the connectors we have to both our identity and our ancestors. By honoring and giving representation to these histories, I also hope to honor my ancestors whose own histories were lost and left discarded due to genocide, colonization and forced migration.

My current work revolves around the life of my grandfather, Catarino, whom I was named after. Passing before I was born, this shared naming is my only connection to him. My understanding of the life he lived comes only from the memories he left behind. Through the process of image transfers, I create collages on Café Bustelo using photos from my grandmother’s photo albums. Tying these images to temporally and culturally specific items, I transform him and other members of my family into ancestral icons worthy of recognition and respect.