Pedro Troncoso (b. 1996, Dominican Republic), is a visual artist based in New York. Troncoso started studying aviation, but after abandoning it to get immersed in the arts, his paintings explore how stereotypes, expectations, and social norms affect our identity as adults. He obtained his BFA in Illustration at Parsons School of Design (2018) as a transfer student from Altos de Chavón La Escuela de Diseño (2016), Dominican Republic. His notable participations include the 29th Biennial of the Museum of Modern Art in the Dominican Republic, AXA Art Prize, merit-based scholarships, and international exhibitions/fairs in Los Angeles, New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, etc. Troncoso currently graduated with an MFA in Fine Arts from The New York Academy of Art.

Since I quit aviation, my artworks question cultural roles, stereotypes, and identity uncertainties. I explore in a fantasy world whatever remains of my genuine self while I “grow up” and adapt to society. Incorporating the only toy remaining in adulthood: imagination.

I paint oil/acrylic self-portraits or imagined alter egos inhabiting dark intimate interior spaces. Like my room, where I overthink the external societal pressures such as acceptance, gender roles, and self-image. Or the bathroom, where my deepest silence finds its voice. Through the manipulation of the figure, I build ironic and contradictory scenarios reflecting on vulnerabilities, discomfort, and joy in adulthood. Reflecting on how our identity and mental health could be distorted by social standards as we age. Such as the metaphorical masks we wear in order to fit within the norm and expectations. My paintings challenge the question: what does it even mean to be our real selves at this point?