CASTELL Trinidad – Tita, Tito, Inay (2024)

CASTELL
Trinidad – Tita, Tito, Inay (2024)
Mixed media
12” x 12” each (set of 3)
$333

ARTIST STATEMENT:
Trinidad is a series of three mixed media pieces representing the most influential family members throughout the artist’s life, their butch lesbian aunt “Tita” (deceased), their transgendered uncle “Tito” (deceased) and mother “Inay” (aging), the last of the siblings. The first two pieces in the series takes excerpts directly from the subject’s death certificates and juxtaposes reflections of their life, identity, and the artists’ desire to respect their memories, in a way they could not connect with while these family members were alive. The last piece, reflecting the connection and contradicting identity the subject “Inay” had with her siblings within the context of motherhood, sacrifice, community and assimilation into America, where the artist attempts to reconcile with the complexities of their family dynamics, through the lens of their collective family sacrifices. The theme of personal, financial, familial sacrifice for the benefit of the next generation is ingrained in Filipino-American culture.

ARTIST BIO:

Castell is an identity created by a third-culture adjacent Filipino American who has navigated the duality of an emerging artistic journey and the existence between the perceived American dream of achievement through a corporate executive career, a core reason for filipino and immigrant rationalizations of personal sacrifice. Castell has been decades in the making and is now embracing exploring art as a personal homage to their family’s complex relationship to their mixed Filipino heritage and queer identities. This artistic endeavor allows them to honor and connect with their roots while managing the balance between their public and private identities. With a profound respect for their family’s queer, mestizo-filipino history, they look to express the complexities of filipino identity, assimilation, resilience and celebration through art, adding a rich, personal layer to their family and personal narrative.