My art is a mixture of painting, drawing, photography, collage, sculpture, and graphic design. I try to put in practice all the knowledge and ideas that I have gained. Most of my artwork is intuitive, meaning I have no specific expectation of what I am creating, but rather my hands roam free and record struggles, frustrations, and emotions at the moment of conception.
My body of work presents a series of self-portraits expressing my feelings as an immigrant. Dreams, struggles, hardships, hopes, wishes, and courage are part of my daily life. The nightmare of being labeled by physical appearance haunts me. Neither my adaptation to this foreign land nor the return to my motherland will ever be complete. In both countries, I am considered a foreigner.
Although, my artwork is personal it is at the same time a universal feeling expressed by immigrants of all countries. After coming to the U.S., I felt and still feel I left a big part of myself in my native country. Certain elements in my artwork symbolize more than their ordinary use; the tearing of the canvas or the tearing an image apart in two is a representation of the division between my native country and the foreign land I now inhabit. The string attaching an image or part of the canvas represents the power of hope to bring both parts of me together. The nails on my work have two meanings: one is a form of self-defense that protects me in a foreign land; second, the nails represent the pain caused by leaving people and places that I love; In addition, the square shape in my work represents the four walls of my studio, which is the place where I feel the safest in a country made up of immigrants. Immigrating is giving up everything that you have and love for dreams that may never come true. My art is intended as a bridge to communicate to all people, regardless of backgrounds.
Website: www.jimenezdesignart.com