Behind These Mountains (2025) is a small group of mixed media works created during my residency in Studio Panicale, Tuscany. The clash between humanity and land, a hallmark of Tuscan villages, provided a gateway to reflecting on my own ancestral roots in Northern Mexico and the similarities between landscapes. This series offers allegorical interpretations of the relationship between landscape and humanity. The objective is to emphasise–through real life stories–the contrast between our attitudes towards landscapes and the people that must encounter them. The work highlights the stories of an increasing number of women and transgenders who migrate to the U.S. through Mexico seeking asylum and the struggles that await them. Between 2014 and 2023, thousands have crossed these scenic landscapes to their death, either along the way or in detention centers soon after.
Photographs of deceptively scenic landscapes cover each piece in which an audience is then invited to peel away. The act of performing “lacerations” is symbolic and denotes a desire to see beyond face value, discovering the context behind what we see. Behind the surface of each image lies layers of news articles and figurative paintings reflecting the conflict that surrounds each piece of land. Overall, this work invites the viewer to recalibrate their perception of natural landscapes to include the context of humanity.
