Artist Statement

My work uses an intersectional lens to explore the complexity of being a woman/girl and how external expectations, specifically those that are social, cultural, and religious-based, are a direct result of gender stereotypes. Additionally, my work contemplates how external expectations negatively affect women/girls’ interpersonal relationships, as well as our mental and physical health. My work looks to be more collaborative but the majority of it is autobiographical. Born in Mexico, I immigrated with my family to the United States at a year and eight months old and was raised in a traditional Mexican and Catholic household. As a girl, I frequently experienced feelings of isolation and inadequacy both at home and within the broader American society, leading me to become a pathological perfectionist and people-pleaser. By intermingling my individual experience with that of other women and girls and shining light on issues that are constantly overlooked, my body of work creates a sense of solidarity, emphasizes the need to question gender stereotypes, and invalidates the higher standards placed on women/girls by Western society.