America

Zully Mejia
"America", 2019
Acrylic and oil on canvas
Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art Collection
Purchase. The Womxn of Color Acquisition Fund and Brooke Feder and Jesse Stuart, 2020.
2020.13.01

A portrait painting of a laughing Latina woman wearing a red skirt, a blue jacket, and a white ruffled blouse. The bright colors of her clothing stand out against an all-gray background.

Zully Mejia was born in Peru. Writing about her decision to paint this portrait of her mother, she recalls the events that brought her to her current home in Nevada. “I was about 8 years old and I was very sick. The doctors in Peru diagnosed me with an eye condition that meant I ran a high risk of going blind. They told my mom my best chance of treatment was in the United States. She worked 3 jobs just to make enough money to fly here. She moved to Las Vegas on her own, not knowing what awaited her, and it was two years before she was able to bring me here. I owe my mom so much, and this example is just one of many through which I have witnessed her perseverance and strength. She is truly a phenomenal mother and woman, and she is an immigrant. I ask you to please consider her story, for it is similar to the stories of many who come to this country to improve the life of their families. I genuinely believe that through hard-working individuals like my mom, we grow stronger.” Mejia received her BFA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2020. Her work has been exhibited in the United States and Spain. (DKS)

Zully Mejia is a painter and sculptor that aims to expand the definition of femininity beyond a stereotypical portrayal. In her practice, she engages with themes of diversity, perception, and empowerment through the depiction of minority female identities and artifacts that challenge conventional gender norms. Mejia is a Peruvian American artist based in Las Vegas. She attained her BFA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2020. Her work has been exhibited in the United States and Spain. Her painting, America, is currently on loan from the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art to Congresswoman Susie Lee’s office in the U.S. Capitol.