In the endless boundaries of culture comes a convergence of many hybrid identities. As a Mexican American photographer, traversing through ambiguous spaces is most influential to my work. My ongoing photographic series – BOYHOOD – attempts to confront the lens of masculine bravado within the context of adolescence.

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I drew upon a myriad of sources for inspiration, most notably the historical evolution of the vaquero, or cowboy. Cowboys are frequently portrayed as epitomizing traditional masculine ideals, such as physical strength, stoicism, and assertiveness. This hyper-masculine image only works to reinforce the notion that men should conform to rigid gender norms, suppressing emotions and vulnerability in favor of toughness and resilience. This depiction often also excludes individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms, further marginalizing LGBTQ+ individuals and other marginalized groups. Rooted in a desire for representation reflective of my experience, this series aims to fill a gap within Mexican-American art, amplifying narratives often overlooked in mainstream discourse. 

Each photograph evolved from a series of sketches I drew up while coming up with a theme. While I initially assumed they lacked a cohesive narrative, what I quickly began to realize was that these images were not only very personal to me, but felt like childhood memories. I incorporated props such as teddy bears, lollipops and a bicycle, all items most people can attribute to adolescence, in order to further push this concept of nostalgia.

I incorporated colors that were typically used to represent childhood. Magenta hues layered over delicate lace and baby blue similar to a cloudless sky became backdrops to my floating subjects. I juxtaposed these soft colors with lighting that exposed the subjects in the frame. Because each photo was made in a studio setting, this gave them the artificial look that I was going for. I wanted them to feel like images that were idealized and dream-like.

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