Marita Contreras Peru)
University of Lima, University of Austin, School of Visual Arts New York, exhibitions and festivals in USA and abroad.
Title: Maria, 2010, 5:37
Essential to my artistic investigations are themes of oppression, deception, silence, abuse of trust, and abuse of power. Such an examination is a natural result of my growing up in Peru, a country where repression by both the government and Catholic Church was an inescapable and unchangeable reality. When one experiences abuse within a restrictive and oppressive incubator, it affects not only the nature of the experience, but also the perception of it. Thus, my artistic narratives are influenced by the distinct, often strange, Latin American world where I was raised.
Through photography, video, film, and installation, I attempt to explore these themes of trauma with a particular interest in revealing internal experiences within the external context of the strange, often terrifying land that serves as the inspiration for my explorations.
My work often includes depictions of victimization, and images that indicate an abuse of power and status in relationships that are inherently unbalanced. The work incorporates religious and cultural images that are characteristic of Peruvian society and also contains Spanish phrases and allusions to magical realism. Ultimately, although examining the tragedy of abuse, the work speaks to healing, recovery, and transformation.