Kenya Duran

Professor: Taylor Brien

English

10 May 2024

Artist’s statement

We are part of something more than ourselves, and all of this is involved in constant change,

although sometimes we overlook it. There are different points that we must take into account

when we talk about gentrification, because from a material change to an emotional one, these

are things that people have to live through and occasionally our morals are questioned by

different points of view as it is a complex issue where there are benefits but also causes loss

in different aspects, thus finding ourselves between progress and preservation. Gentrification

is a multifaceted phenomenon that transcends in society, it makes us consider different points

in our lives, as we can become both witnesses and protagonists, but whatever point we are at,

in a search for equity and coexistence, we find ourselves reflected in the complexity of our

differences and similarities, as the materials arranged on a variety of surfaces, each with its

own texture and uniqueness, but maintaining as a common point the search for a message

through these characteristics or qualities. We, even if we are only those who only observe,

can become participants of change even if we only explore our connection with the space in

which we are surrounded or the people who are part of it. That is why I consider that my

work does not exemplify the whole word of gentrification, rather, it is just one point. The

technique may be simple but it evokes a common scene in areas affected by gentrification,

displacement as part of one of the consequences of my central theme.

Often, in our society, progress and urban development are celebrated as signs of prosperity

and modernity, but we do not take into account what lies behind it all. The simple fact of
seeing how other people change their way of life by the decisions of others is something that

urges us to question superficial perceptions. Acknowledging the experiences of others and

empathizing with them keeps us one step ahead in the search for a more sustainable future for

some people.