My work examines the American automobile, a symbol of class and desire. Cars themselves consume vast resources, often obtained through imperialistic practices, while also being one of the leading causes of death. For some, our ever-larger trucks and SUVs turn driving into a militaristic playground; yet, driving also creates a unique interiority and mental space that is unavailable to many of us anywhere else.

Despite these contradictions, I love my car. My compact Honda Civic, Guadalupe, is far from perfect: Her A/C is broken, her seats are stained, and she needs repairs. I’ve become my adult self in her interior, however; I’ve decorated Guadalupe with countless bumper stickers and hung pink fuzzy dice from her rear view mirror. In my work, my car embodies the way marginalized communities engage with hegemonic symbols. I paint Guadalupe over and over again in an attempt to demonstrate how minority cultures can reclaim and redefine oppressive symbols by transforming them into sites of personal expression.