ARTIST STATEMENT
This piece is an exploration of the ‘gravity’ of heritage. In the wake of displacement, the self often feels like a constellation—widely dispersed, yet bound by a singular energy. I wanted to capture the specific psychological weight of being ‘held’ by a culture you are physically disconnected from. The golden paths and rhythmic patterns represent the ancestral pulse that persists even when the physical form is divided. The mirrors act as an invitation to the ‘scattered’ soul: a reminder that even when we feel broken or distant, the act of looking at ourselves is an act of reclaiming the whole. We are not just the pieces; we are the force that keeps them from falling apart.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
My artistic practice investigates the human body as a site of lived and collective history. Working primarily in mixed-media figuration, I explore the intersections of feminine embodiment, ancestral memory, and the layered realities of the Afro-Indigenous diaspora. Drawing from Taíno visual language, material symbolism, and personal narrative, my work examines displacement, cultural inheritance, and the persistence of identity across generations. My multidisciplinary practice also includes wearable art and jewelry informed by ancestral forms and Caribbean aesthetics.
© Stephanie Tirado