Pablo Cruz-Ayala

Artist Statement

My work examines how undocumented and cross-cultural identities are formed, preserved, and transformed under systems of erasure, surveillance, and institutional power. Materials such as concrete, ultraviolet-reactive minerals, and 3D-printed domestic objects serve as coded archives, designed to endure, conceal, or reveal cultural knowledge depending on the conditions of exposure. I excavate at the borders of one liminal culture. With an ecological mindscape, I hope to share the personhood often left on the margins of land, myths, and immigration. I create to connect to what signals and histories are unplugged and buried within the culture I struggle to define for myself. I view my work as a continuation of conversations within the generational communities that my country and people have left to me. Seeing my works as a dialogue between people I can't meet and the futures they made possible. My artworks strive to honor and highlight the challenging experiences of living undocumented in the United States, as well as the meaning of finding false safety in walled-off dreams. Influenced by the oral histories of my community, parents, and friends, I strive to preserve stories often overlooked. Ultimately, I aim to contribute to the discussion of sharing challenges related to intersectional cultural belonging as an immigrant with a yearning for representation, connection, and meaningful dialogue.