I have been an artist for the last 40 years. I mostly do two-dimensional work, including painting and collage, but once in a while, I venture into some kind of provisional sculpture. As an artist, I am interested in the history of Latin America, from before colonization to the present.
I am motivated by what I would call a sense of justice and a desire to create visibility for people and traditions that have been relegated to the margins. I look at the place of women in the world throughout our history—what they have contributed generally, and to the arts specifically. I also have a strong interest in ways of working that get overlooked as being merely decorative or craft. For me, this is a defiance: I can and I will participate.
My practice is fairly research heavy. I look at Spanish colonial and indigenous art as inspiration to untangle the legacies of colonization, and my work is often in dialogue with these traditions. I have created my own version of casta paintings, and make work in reference to Colombian ancestral practices like barniz de Pasto, which is a resin-based traditional craft.
I grew up in Bogotá, Colombia, and we had many barniz de Pasto objects in the house: trays, pots. It is a practice that existed way before the Spanish arrived, and it had a huge development during colonization because the Spanish, who were already in commerce with Asia, saw a similarity to Chinese lacquerware.
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