Adrian Pinos ’20

Adrian Pinos
El Sacrificio es Bueno
(The Struggle is Good) 

This body of work is the result of many generations of “el sacrificio.” It is a practice of deconstruction to reveal layers of identity that are hidden or codified by life in the U.S.  

Immigrants sacrifice various aspects of their lives from their country of origin in pursuit of the American dream—family, food, education, culture—though never in absolute. As the son of immigrant parents, my life in the Bronx was a constant flux between multicultural exchanges. “La lucha” built my way of perceiving the world and my place within it. As a first–generation college student, this thesis work is the result of my sacrifice for a better life. 

Intersectional feminism has allowed me the space to decondition my biases and to ground my artistic practice as an exploration of identity. I operate within the genre of painting as a means to understand and challenge the ways in which the master narrative has marginalized the working class labor force. I utilize printmaking techniques and sculpture to question the conventions of painting, opening it up to a language of installation. I use screen printing and cyanotypes to harness their historical applications as languages of dissemination. Craftsmanship results from my love of labor and my labor of love. Layered surfaces are the result of my intersectional approach to what constitutes identity. By viewing through these layers of varying textures and opacities, I’m able to render a fluid sense of self, allowing me to reflect on my own place in time.