Healing is not linear

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I’m about to begin working on a series of intervened analog photographs from my childhood, as well as a series of collages and self-portraits made with photographs of my aunt Reyna, whom I’m named after and who passed away before I was born. Her absence has shaped my identity in many ways, so I like to honor her through what I do.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
In photography in general, every time I intervene images or make collages, whether digital or analog, I learn the importance of letting go of perfection and expectations. I also relearn the importance of experimenting and allowing myself to be guided by creativity, feeling like a child without judgment, simply playing and exploring.

What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?
Identity, nostalgia, love, tenderness, lineage, roots.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
Swimming and Circles, both albums by Mac Miller that speak about depression and identity. I recently went through a very intense depressive episode, and these albums help me communicate with my feelings. I’ve also been reading Devotion by Patti Smith and It's Kind of a Funny Story, a novel that portrays depression.

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
The lack of energy to create due to my depression. This isn’t the first time I’ve gone through a depressive episode, and the truth is that the first time gave me a lot of drive to create, because I needed to express everything I was feeling. This time, by contrast, the episode has completely drained me, to the point where existing feels exhausting. Still, little by little I’ve been regaining the desire to create and to take photographs again.

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
L’osteria Il Duomo. I recommend the eggplant Parmigiana or any of their pizzas.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
It would be called Healing is not linear and the soundtrack would be by Mac Miller.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
Andrea Godinez. What I admire most about her is how she creates such magnetic, hypnotic compositions in her collages. To me, she’s a genius of composition, and her gaze is unique. The way she portrays her subjects is very vulnerable and emotional.

I love Francesca Woodman. From the first time I saw her work, I sensed all of her mental torment and wanted to learn more about her story. Once I did, I felt completely fascinated and deeply identified.