Born in Lima, Peru, a country whose early civilizations revered nature, Cecilia often disguises herself among flora. The sweeping lines of foliage, along with the rich hues that paint the backdrop and the artist’s body, put her in an intimate conversation with nature. Animals, various objects, and fabric also play a part in the complex layers of Cecilia’s oeuvre. The artist combines themes found in nature- origins, camouflage, transformation, and her body- to acquire multiple identities through a blend of sculptural recreations and photography. Each element in her body of work reminds the viewer that humans are but one element in nature, a body that is a pristine expression of it.

"Part of what makes us human is our ability to see beyond the narrow door through which we enter the world—to grow beyond the culture of our birth by recognizing other cultures, other patterns of life. Yet our birth culture is always imprinted upon us; the mystery of identity is never fully resolved. We are always from a time and place to which we can never return." — Cecilia Paredes.