Audrey Rodriguez

The painting Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda depicts a popular Mexican candy with a San Antonionian coffee and health juice chain glass bottle. The Spanish saying "Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda" translates to English as "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" or "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig". The phrase means that superficial changes in appearance cannot hide a person's or thing's true, innate nature. Rodriguez states, “Many of the objects in my paintings come from my own home or studio—they’re everyday things, but they carry weight. Some items reflect care and permanence, like handmade ceramics passed down or found at markets, while others—plastic bottles, to-go cups—speak to convenience, movement, or economic necessity.”