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Abuela, disculpa por molestar tu paz pero necesito que sepas que él está bien. Lo he cuidado mucho y ahora tiene su pedazo de felicidad.; Grandmother, I am sorry to disturb your peace but I need you know that he’s okay. I’m taking care of him and he finally has a piece of happiness., 2023
Copperplate photogravure and soft ground etching with embroidery on silk. Sheet: 37 x 25 3/4 inches. Edition of 6 + proofs. Published by Mullowney Printing, Portland, OR.
About the work:
Arleene Correa Valencia’s photogravure series, Antes De Mi / Before Me (2023), delves into the artist’s exploration of family separation and migration across borders. Through this series, Valencia attempts to trace her family’s history, starting from the union of her paternal grandparents, who now play a significant role in the artist’s connection to her native heritage. Each photogravure unveils a part of her family’s story that ultimately led to her migration to the United States, where she faced the hardships of being an undocumented immigrant. Growing up as an undocumented recipient of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), Correa Valencia observed that much of her family’s past had been lost or erased to facilitate assimilation and protect them from being identified as “illegal.” This series combines etchings of traditional Mexican images, family photos, embroidery, and beading, weaving together stories spanning multiple generations. These pieces aim to illustrate a family’s resilience amid the political unrest between the United States and Latin America
