In the current social order of heightened controversy around immigration and racial inequality, my work follows a struggle to comprehend societal relations with the other on the basis of my own experiences.
A person’s social identity is often focused around the group of people with more power, whether it be centered around gender, socioeconomic status, or race (that being a social construct grounded in the skin’s perceived value-variation of color). The other are those who fall into the minority defined by physical or cultural attributes and are then subject to unethical discrimination. As a child of both a racially dominant individual and an other individual, my experiences have been warped to mirror the parent I was with in these moments. Though my mom grew up in poverty, she is of European descent. Socially, she has been granted certain privileges based on being a Caucasian born in the United States. My father who also grew up poor, suffered the disadvantages of discrimination based upon having darker skin and not being born in the United States. There is a corresponding theme of developing topographical lines within the artworks. This progression of line development is a symbolic reference to my own understanding of lineage as well as that of humanity. The visual element of topographical line creates a natural connection to land which comes in all tints and shades of brown – from the chalky tan of dry desert terrain to the darkness of rich, damp soil – thus forming a parallel with the way in which people range in skin tones of brown. The lack of topographical lines in the beginning of this portfolio references the disconnect and desire to separate one’s self from the discomfort which stems from the connection with the other. The progression of this visual component thus reflects my progression to accepting and appreciating the importance and the beauty of different ethnicities and cultures.