Forced Protection Study #1

My work is transitioning from using a visual language that reflects my military experiences toward new investigations of the celebrated topics within my family's lineage and folklore. I am seeking to understand family behaviors that ultimately choose to reject our Mexican lineage in favor of elevating our Spanish heritage. This work attempts to create a visual defense and fight back against that denial of my identity. After years of considering the realities of celebrated militarism in this country, and my role within that narrative, I am yearning to return to the roots of my personal history. As many in our communities today, I am considering new ways to commemorate the past that do not expect or require monuments to worship or heroes to promote. Several layered symbols are found within this print that draws meaning from personal trauma and the amplified collective trauma of the last year.