91´«Ã½

Delfina, 2018, digital photograph on crepe de Chine, 48 x 67 inches

About the Exhibition

This exhibition features photographic self-portraits by multidisciplinary artist Mari Hernandez in which she portrays fictional characters from an unnamed historical narrative. Inspired by early documentary photographic traditions, the subjects are depicted as strong, stoic, and dignified, referencing theories of physiognomy that claimed a person’s physical features are indicative of moral character. The series poses questions about the role of representation in forming identity and the history of portraiture in the art historical canon. Hernandez’s socially engaged practice reflects her long career in non-profit community arts organizations. She is co-founder of the Chicana art collective Mas Rudas (2009-2015) and is a graduate of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Leadership Institute and Arts Advocacy Institute. She lives and works in San Antonio, Texas.

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