Originally from Perú, I have lived in the United States since 2002 when I came for my MFA in ceramics at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. As a child, one of my favorite toys was plasticine, an oil-based clay. Like any other kid, I loved to watch cartoons, many of them were created in Japan and translated into Spanish. I spent hours playing with plasticine, recreating my favorite cartoons and creating my own action figurines. Since then, those Japanese cartoons have become a great influence in my artwork, at first unconsciously. I have also always admired Renaissance art; when I was a teen I wanted to be like Michelangelo and sculpt the human body and all of its beauty. Back in Perú, I took numerous anatomy classes and learned to draw and model the human body. In recent years I have also recognized a stronger connection in my art with my Peruvian heritage: ancient pre-Columbian cultures like Mochica, Wari, or Inca, and to my Japanese heritage (my maternal grandfather was Japanese). These early influences are my constant foundation, my starting point. From there, my creative output has continued to be proof of my time and my journey, a record of the impact life is making upon me and the world I inhabit. In my artwork I explore political and social issues relevant to my personal experiences, informed by the events in my life and the places I have lived. My process is intuitive and responsive. This is my story:
First years in North Dakota
