Enamoiré , 2023
Enamorar : verb. To fall in love. Translated from Spanish.
Moiré : noun. A visual pattern or effect that occurs when two regular patterns, typically consisting of closely spaced lines or dots, overlap or are superimposed upon each other. It manifests as a series of wavy, rippled, or curved patterns that appear as an interference or distortion. The moiré effect arises due to the interaction between the patterns, causing an optical illusion where new patterns and shapes emerge.
I posted a call-out on my social media asking for participation from anyone who resonates with the feeling of being “unseen.” After an overwhelming response and floods of messages from strangers sharing their personal stories about feeling unseen in their communities, I narrowed down the sample to include some friends, family, and strangers. Among them are people who identify as multiracial, queer, disabled, or otherwise marginalized or misrepresented in some way. I used photos of themselves that they shared with me, and through a process of digital manipulation, created abstracted fluid portraits, which I then projected onto canvas and painted.
I created the moire effect by wrapping layers of satin or spray-painted window screen over top of the painted canvas.
The result was a series that examines relationships mediated by technology, during a time when screens tend to reduce and flatten our perception of each other, both online and in the material world.
Through the use of moiré patterns, I create a sense of energy that reflects the constant flux of our perceptions, biases, and prejudice, while also exploring modes of connecting with one another spiritually and empathetically, even through screens. At the heart of this series is a deep curiosity about the ways in which we see and are seen.
Never Odd or Even, 2020
I completed a series of paintings for my undergraduate thesis show that investigated my own experiences related to my mixed ethnicity, my genealogy, growing up as a third culture-kid, and navigating in-betweeness in the Midwest. I utilized color theory, gestalt principles. and self-portraiture as a way to contemplate and sort out my questions and curiosities.
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