Artist Statement

Frida Kahlo is my muse and my greatest artistic inspiration. I truly became a surrealist because I see myself in her and through her artwork. Frida's ability to express her life experiences paved my personal direction in how I portray my own. I see my art as a dream, an inside tour to my own perspectives and I love to view her work in the same way; since she's allowing us a vulnerable tour into her despair and trauma. This is a self portrait that emphasizes rebellion against what we are stereotypically "supposed" to be, act like, and look like. As Latinas we are expected to become a facade of extreme femininity and follow unjust "womanly" roles. I admire Frida's fight against society that manipulates women to believe we have to serve men and carry ourselves as flowers. When the truth is we define who we are and must be proud of ourselves. It does not make us less than a woman because we have hair, because we are powerful, because we are masculine, because we love to laugh out loud, or because we fight to protect our beautiful identities. I love to think of myself as a continuation of this push against what we're expected to be.