Cecilia Paredes: The Wandering Flight

As part of FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA International Photography Festival

Cecilia Paredes explores the theme of identity through ethereal “photo performances” where she camouflages her body against beautifully pattered backdrops and disappears amongst the ornamentation. By presenting herself as part of the landscape, Paredes is building her own identity in relation to the part of the world where she lives and raises the question of how our environment influences who we are.

Born in Lima, Peru, a country whose early civilizations revered nature, Cecilia often disguises herself against 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. In her photographs, she is so immersed in her surroundings that we can hardly tell where her body begins and ends.

Cecilia Paredes is the recipient of the 2014 International Award for Artistic Excellence at the Pingyao International Festival of Photography. She has exhibited widely in North, South, and Central America, Asia, Australia, and Europe with solo exhibitions at major institutions including the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Russia and the Costa Rico Museum of Art, among others. Her work is in numerous collections, such as the Museo del Barrio, New York; San Antonio Museum of Art; and the Museum of Contemporary Art Panama.