María FragosoDe nuestro jardin de frutas falsas[From Our Garden of False Fruit],2018, oil on canvaspatriarchal, racist, and binary structures,structures that resonate in the very bodiesthey are trying to control.My work represents some aspects of themyriad of coexisting identities in Mexico;my paintings celebrate Mexican culture,of course, but they also try to offer acritical look into Mexico’s conception ofgender, sexuality, human relations, andnational belonging. Mexico City is full oflife, creativity, and beauty. But it is alsosuffused with a violence that oftentimesfeels invisible and quiet, lurking behindthe scenes: an oppressive macho culture,class inequalities, and the consequencesof colonialism. The need for survival andresilience that emerge from fear andunrest are similar necessities that I haveencountered in America.A duality that has always pervadedMexican culture and everyday life is thecomplicated relationship of struggle andjoy. I always think about it as an importantduality in my paintings. I try to conveythis bond of celebration and tragedyby portraying scenes of lustfulness andhedonism in bright and fiery colors whilealso including some disturbing elementsthat question the coherence of theseemingly familiar. Questioning what ishappening allows for the existence ofunexpected and alternative narratives; apersonal and imaginary world influencedby anxieties, desires, and hopes, thatreflect the contemporary ethos andexpress a yearning for solidarity andempathy within the uncertaintyof the future.43
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