Growing up, my parents would bring me to art museums to look at paintings and I began noticing many of the artists, and the subjects of the work, did not reflect my identity or experience. I felt alienated and unseen by the lack of brown bodies, specifically Latinos, depicted on the walls of these cultural institutions. Thus, my mission is to make artwork as a platform for visibility of the Latino communities that are too often hidden between the margins of America. I construct large scale paintings that bring to light the vibrant culture of my community in order to combat the lack of representation in the art world. My art practice is rooted in sharing the experiences of being a brown body in the United States, and reconciling how I view my identity with the identity cast upon me by society. Growing up in the predominantly Latino city of Los Angeles, my body and my culture were simultaneously capitalized on, and ostracized by, white institutions and structures of power - in particular, my Mexican identity was often misrepresented by the media and the people around me despite the large Latino presence in California. Pertinent to the current political landscape of the United States, my works draw inspiration from the ignorance, and the white gaze, that only sees the most superficial layers of my Mexican identity. I reference images of my family, friends, and the larger community to narrate scenes often not seen, and in the process, investigate larger themes surrounding the implicit biases and stereotyping that is embedded in the representation of POC communities in White America. Through the use of found objects and handcrafted wooden panels / surfaces, I reference the long history of labor and struggle Mexican-American communities endure to help build, support, and operate the United States. Ultimately, I create art that reflects my community so that one day a little Latin American boy or girl can walk into a museum, see my work, and feel seen, loved, and honored.

My practice is rooted in sharing the stories and struggles of being a brown body in the United States, and reconciling how I view my identity with the identity cast upon me by society. Growing up in the predominantly Latinx city of Los Angeles, my body and my culture were simultaneously capitalized on, and ostracized by, white institutions and structures of power - in particular, my Mexican identity was often misrepresented by the media and the people around me despite the large Latinx presence in California. Pertinent to the current political landscape of the United States, my works draw inspiration from the ignorance, and the white gaze, that only sees the most superficial layers of my Mexican identity. I reference images of my family, friends, and the larger community to narrate scenes often not seen, and in the process, investigate larger themes surrounding the implicit biases and stereotyping that is embedded in the representation of POC communities in White America. Through the use of found objects and handcrafted wooden panels / surfaces, I reference the long history of labor and struggle Mexican-American communities endure to help build, support, and operate the United States. Ultimately, my work is a platform for visibility of the Latinx communities that are too often hidden between the margins of America. Hombres is the first painting of a larger series surrounding my experiences and interactions at my grandmother's small ranch in rural Veracruz, Mexico. I was looking through my archive of images and became really interested in an image of a group of men gathered together and at rest. I thought a lot about the act of leisure, moments of collectivity, and camaraderie amongst these men. I remembered having a conversation with my mother about how often Mexican men are stereotyped for being “machos” and always laboring. The US media has type-casted them for self-indulgent characters and quick-tempered attitudes. Yet, this photo and moment really combatted these stereotypes. It felt communal; there was a brotherhood and complexity to these men, whom I remembered talking to and interacting with when I took the photograph. In fact, there was a fragility to them as they watched over their children and talked with each other. The figurative-abstract style of my work came from an urgency for accessibility in art and the language of art. I purposefully flatten forms and reduce them to simplified shapes as a way of engaging with a larger audience. As we grow up, the first things we learn and notice, even before oral language, are shapes and colors. We learn that a green circle on top of a brown rectangle is a tree. I think a lot about my 4-year-old sister, and I want her to be able to recognize elements of the painting and feel visible in it. I also think about my parents who have little art knowledge, but can understand and identify with the subjects of my work. Ultimately, the goal of my work is to highlight stories and experiences of Latinx communities and members who are erased or disregarded in the art world. Even the men in Hombres deserve recognition and honor, and I hope to continue sharing stories of those who are marginalized and underrepresented in my paintings. I have no doubt the Isaac Yunhu Lee Memorial Arts Scholarship will allow me to finish earning my BFA in Studio Art at NYU and allow me to continue my artistic pursuit to bring visibility of Latinx communities around the world!