Date of Submission

Spring 2022

Academic Program

Photography

Project Advisor 1

Farah Al Qasimi

Abstract/Artist's Statement

My "Abuelita Mariquita" is a generous woman, the oldest of 15 siblings born to my bisabuelos. I have lived with her my entire life in la casita azul, our home humble with its mismatched furnishings. Since I can remember, I have witnessed her house several of her younger siblings from Mexico who desired temporary work in the states. No matter the outcome of their stay, she would welcome them back, her home warm and open to those who may or may not have reciprocated my abuelita's generosity. It is from my abuelita that I learned to care for my family.

I was born from a family of lower class immigrants who settled in East Los Angeles, California. My project is first and foremost an homage to them, acting as a tribute to the struggles and hardships which have uplifted and strengthened our complicated family unit. But my family is made up of both blood and water and my photographs reflect all relationships within my life. The photos themselves are like flashes of memories of my time with my loved ones. I use objects to point and give reference to specific memories yet these are not still life images. They are faint representations of something far away, lacking specificity, but packed with emotional charge. They trigger happy and sad feelings because they are honest contemplations of what consists of a broken but resilient family.

I have known from a young age how easily a family can fluctuate, as I have gained and lost many of those I have loved. For this reason, my project extends to those who are no longer in my life. As I grow older, I find it easier to find solace in loss. While these images express gratitude, they simultaneously help me reconcile my feelings for those who are now absent.

I am grateful for my abuelita and am most thankful for her continuous love and generosity. Whenever she and I part ways, she calls me over to give me a blessing: "Que dios te bendiga." I wish to do the same.

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Open Access

Creative Commons License

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