Masks

“This series deals with the intersecting concepts of immigration, cultural identity, and feminism. Through the use of cultural items from my motherland, personal objects, traditional garments, and historical documents, I am seeking to construct and carve out a space to nurture and question my identity as a Nicaragüense existing and resisting in the United States.

I use cultural objects from Nicaragua, which I have acquired through my various trips or through friends and family visiting California, to create layers of symbolism, to appropriate and create new meanings out of these objects, and to expose viewers to my culture. Through these photographs, not only am I highlighting my culture and traditions, but I am depicting the enduring impact of imperialism and colonialism in Latin America, specifically Central America. I place myself within this fabricated space through the use of self-portraiture to showcase how these issues of violence and erasure have manifested in my personal life and affected my physical body and my mental and emotional health.

In recognizing that violence and erasure are so intrinsic and rooted in the patriarchy and in white supremacy, I believe that my voice, expression, and resistance as a queer woman brings a feminist lens to my artwork as I expose the violence. Through my artwork, I am resisting and creating my own cultural haven. I am uplifting Central American identity, addressing and pinpointing oppressive issues, and demonstrating my resilience as a Nicaragüense in the United States.”

— Tanya Flores Hodgson