GABRIELA MAGANA
I am a Houston based artist born in Mexico. My work has evolved hand in hand with my exploration of my place as a woman and as a Latina in this age and time. Therefore, I have come to use mixed media in my paintings, as well as thick paint as an exploration of materials and storytelling. I use the physicality of my works as a symbol to the subject matter, making the viewer feel closer to the work, and giving clues about the story behind it.
In my work I touch subjects related to social issues and my own experiences in life but also inspired by the experiences of people who are fighting their own battles and whose stories I hear and tell as my own as part of my job as an interpreter.
I have started to use thicker paint and materials such as natural fibers, sand and handwritten letters to incorporate in my work and help me tell stories. In my work I leave part of the narrative untold, so the viewer can open the communication channels within themselves and among others regarding concepts like home, womanhood, empowerment and work. In my work, I don’t look for perfection, being that the human experience is not perfect, and in fact, the context is constantly changing.