Andrea Castillo, " Starfish (After Man Ray)"

Artist Statement

I am interested in exploring the surreal as an integral part of our existence, in merging the personal and depictions of memory to explore cultural dualities of the physical and inner worlds. As a biracial cis-woman who is often only seen for my Latinx descent I inhabit a sense of perpetual displace. By combining the surreal, everyday symbols and art historical compositions I examine the ambiguous traces and movements constructed in the paintings to explore a coexisting identity. I challenge myself and the viewer by emphasizing various perceptions that are indiscernible within the confines of our domesticated eye and dismantle assumptions of our fixed subjectivity. In my recent works I attempt to move away from socially identifiable bodies in attempt to explore the body as a way to decode social constructions of identity and to expand the female bodily form in more infinite ways.

Artist Bio

Andrea Castillo born and currently living in Los Angeles, California, received her MFA from Lesley University College of Art and Design in 2014. Her work has been shown at the CCCM, Mexican Center for Culture and Cinematic Arts (Los Angeles,CA), Hote Gallery (Los Angeles,CA), SOMArts (San Fransisco,CA), Richmond Art Center (Richmond,CA), Flux Factory (Brooklyn, NY), Queens Museum (Queens, NY), Slide Room Gallery (Vancouver, BC), Bemis Art Center (Omaha,NE), Vandernoot Gallery (Cambridge, MA), Ugly Duck (London, UK), and Villa Aymore (RJ, Brazil). She has been the recipient artist in residence for Vermont Studio Center (Johnson,VT), Grand Central Art Center (collaborative) (Santa Ana,CA), Signal Fire (Portland, OR), Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (Amherst, VA) along with artist grant. Publications including her work are ArtMaze Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, YoungSpace and Voyage LA Magazine.

Starfish (After Man Ray), Oil and Wax on Paper, 12x16 inches, 2021, 300.