NI VIRGEN, NI PUTA: AN ARCHIVE OF (MAL)CRIADERIA.

  • Natalia del Carmen

  • NI VIRGEN, NI PUTA: AN ARCHIVE OF (MAL)CRIADERIA.

  • Natalia del Carmen is a Peruvian interdisciplinary artist, based in NYC. Her work resides at the intersection of psychological investigation and creative expression, in the attempt to understand identity formation and its participation in culture and society. With photography as the basis for her practice, she often works with the collaging of other mediums, such as textiles and writing. She has had the opportunity to work with up-and-coming photographers and designers, as well as brands such as Coach, Gap, Gucci and Sies Marjan. Natalia’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue Germany and WWD.

  • There is a polarization of stereotypes regarding women where they are only allowed to fulfill certain characterization roles when abiding by the machismo that dictates these stereotypes. De virgen, pasas a ser madre, si no puedes serlo, monja, y como alternativa; puta, desatada, malcriada. This thesis looks into Catholicism, militarism and machismo in Latin America and how these patriarchal power structures work together to oppress women. This occurs both in the family and the sociocultural and political state framework, resulting in a disproportionate level of representation and agency. Abortions are still legal; rape is still justified. We are still being killed. Crimes of passion they say, feminicidio decimos nosotras. This I do so departing from a photographic practice that can be split into three areas; the archive as exposure, the reckoning as a space for reconciliation and the transgression as an attempt to recompose our position, for which I employ documentary work, portraiture and performance. My hope is that the generations after me, raised by those who might see this will not raise niñas bien or machos que se respetan. My hope is that they raise malcriadas, to the point where one day they will hopefully be able to erase the mal that precedes their identity.