Cecilia Paredes

Cecilia Paredes explores the theme of identity through ethereal “photo performances” where she camouflages her body against beautifully patterned backdrops and disappears amongst the ornamentation. By presenting herself as part of the landscape, Paredes is building her own identity in relation to the part of the world where she lives and raises the question of how our environment influences who we are. Born in Lima, Peru, a country whose early civilizations revered nature, Cecilia often disguises herself against flora. The sweeping lines of foliage along with the rich hues that paint the backdrop and the artist’s body put her in an intimate conversation with nature. Animals, various objects, and fabric also play a part in the complex layers of Cecilia’s oeuvre. In her photographs, she is so immersed in her surroundings that we can hardly tell where her body begins and ends. The artist combines themes found in nature- origins, camouflage, transformation, and her body- to acquire multiple identities through a blend of sculptural recreations and photography. Each element in her body of work reminds the viewer of the fact that humans are but one element in nature, of which the body is a pristine expression. “I wrap, cover or paint my body with the same pattern of the material and represent myself as part of that landscape. Through this act, I am working on the theme of building my own identification with the entourage or part of the world where I live or where I feel I can call home.” – Cecilia Paredes.