artist statement

 Faded Memories 

I left Cuba when I was nine years old. Having left Cuba with a few photographs to remember our life there has influenced me in creating these paintings.  Not all experiences can be captured in photographs; so, a lot of those moments must be saved in our minds.  The images in these paintings are not only memories from Cuba.  The images are a recollection of experiences, people, places, and things.  There are memories from my childhood in Cuba and the U.S., dreams, thoughts, artwork that has impacted me, places, cartoons watched as a child, and other random things.  Photographs get old and fade; these memories will also one day disappear. 

My artwork is figurative with a strong sense of narration. My paintings incorporate overlapping components of different size papers, canvas pieces, fabric, and wood. The process reminds me of old clothes and objects patched up and utilized, instead of discarding them.  The act of collaging or painting on top of other images is symbolic of how our lives are shaped by so many things. The black and white images have been painted on top of other images.  My work has layers upon layers of images and colors. I was inspired by urban walls that are graffitied and buffed to be graffitied repeatedly. The backgrounds of my paintings are filled with holes, peeling paint, cracks, and different shades of gray and white, a reminder of weathered or distressed walls. Some of the images are detailed, while other images are barely recognizable.

SLANG

In my most recent work, I deal with being an immigrant living in the United States and its effect on my culture.  I record everyday words, phrases, and slang used by Cubans and Cuban-Americans. To those unfamiliar with the Cuban slang, it is an alien language; a secret Cuban Morse code that could only be decoded by those of Cuban descent.  This type of language used by Cubans can be referred to as Cubanish (a blend of Cuban and Spanish).

These works show the complexities and difficulties of an unfamiliar language. Immigrants living in the United States face the threat of forgetting their culture, roots, and language.  A lot of the Cuban-Americans that have been born or brought up in the U.S. are not familiar with lingo used by Cubans.  The most recent arrivals also bring new words and phrases that are unfamiliar to those Cubans that have been in the U.S. for a long time.  Slang is always growing.  The work's raw and immediate quality is influenced by "tagging", "graffiti", or a "Johnny was here" on a school desk.  This is a way for me to learn, preserve, and remember these sayings, slang, and everyday Cuban language.