Anna Valdez
As a visual artist with an academic background in anthropology
and video, I view artists as cultural producers. In my work, I
attempt to combine these practices into a specific investigation
that cultivates not only personal identity but also cultural
meaning.
Currently, I am working on narratives that explore my own practices
and history in a visual format. To construct an autobiography, I
rely on photographs, stories, family recipes, horticulture, and the
tradition of crafting. I consider this examination a rite of passage
into a globalized society in which I simultaneously find my niche.
Recently, many of my pieces have been still lifes. I compose
arrangements from household items such as my clothes, quilts,
scarves, blankets, houseplants, drawings, paintings, books,
records, and vessels. I represent objects that form my home
environment in order to understand the domestic sphere as
emblematic of both personal and collective experience.