Sylvia Padilla “Thinking About the Past, but Looking to the Future” acrylic on canvas 36” x 36”, 2023, $750.00

   Initially I started 2020 with self reflection. I started looking back at my Andean and Taino heritage and studying various pre-columbian societies with the description of one’s self identity as starting from a place where the person originates from. My pieces incorporate the influence of aztec symbols and textiles, but also demonstrate the influence that a knowledge of past cultures has on one’s current identity.
   With the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 the sense of self became harder to identify. There was a surreality in a sense and a feeling of the world turned upside down. With new terms as the “new normal” and “essential” we all went from a place of having everyday expectations of living to suddenly not having any grounding on what self was. I am working sometimes on flat imagery on the picture plane intermixed into a neo surrealist atmosphere. I use contemporary images in some of my work as well.
   Some of my work involves the study of past Central and South American civilizations before Spain’s arrival. While other paintings deal with current events such as the pandemic. I want to incorporate into my art the use of various imagery, textile patterns, various Gods, and the idols from Incas Aztecs and Mayan culture. This will serve as a way to both self reflect in my identity and also bring on an awareness of the cultures that were lost due to Spanish colonization. I will also try to create a balance of current events and how it reflects on my self identity as well.