My Latina Self / My Other Self

Whether it is a larger community, or myself in question my artwork has been identity based since I started creating. Recently living in the mountains of Dominican Republic in 2003 affected profound change in my life and photographic work. Los campesino in the Dominican Republic have my utmost respect for understanding sacred space, family, community and daily living.

In an effort to understand myself in this new culture and comprehend its delicacy I went to the other side of my camera to be in photographs of their world. In a beautiful way I learned to inhabit both sides of my camera in the cultural space of the Dominican Republic. I made photographs of the authentic self and the constructed self. My blur is at times speculative signifying creation, clarity of being and emergence spatially, and culturally. Also in some photographs my image is very clear along with my companions, which solidifies the concept of physical immersion in this culture space. These moments are manipulated by camera techniques to create the illusion of time slowed down or amplified. This body of trans-documentary, self-portraits authenticate my identity as a multi-racial woman.

I hope these photographs translate a personal experience as well as invite a universal familiarity. As a seeker of truth I will be forever enchanted with the idea that photography speaks the truth about a real moment in time.