Unveiling o Renacimiento

Unveiling o Renacimiento, Paola de la Calle, Relief linocut print

This piece focuses on the idea of becoming. It explores our identity from a place of growth and change, this can be represented by the snake who sheds its skin as a symbol of transformation.

The statement "I am from, but I become" emphasizes the idea that as Latinx living within the (so-called) United States, much of our identity is framed by circumstance and the context we are in or have come from. Our lives and futures are dictated by the possibilities that have existed for us historically, be it in our homelands or within a U.S. context.

However, "but I become" pushes the idea that we are also in a state of evolution as we navigate and straddle two worlds. A sort of unveiling happens as we learn, develop, and stitch together our own identities and breakdown stereotypes and live our authentic truths.

The simple act of unveiling is powerful, it allows us to see the world with new eyes and physically remove barriers blocking a greater vision. It allows us to reimagine the future and see radical possibilities.

This piece asks, what can we imagine and create once we've unveiled and removed systems of oppression?

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Paola de la Calle is a Colombian-American interdisciplinary artist, writer, and educator who uses art as a tool to promote social justice and celebrate her community. As the daughter of two migrants from Colombia, Paola seeks to make sense of the world through her art and uses her experiences growing up documented in a mixed-status, low income home to help inform her work. She is interested in exploring themes of identity and belonging framed by history, politics, and social justice.