- Much of Amaya Avila’s work is heavily rooted in her identity as a Mexican American and my relationships with people and environments, as an extension of this, the piece entitled, Banda, is an artifact that depicts a family narrative. This project was provoked as Avila dialed her grandmother and asked, “What is your maiden name?”, the answer was not simple, but it highlighted this idea of identity within her family, both physically, on a birth certificate, but also what a name can mean when you grow up in a foreign place. Avila’s great grandfather immigrated to the United States when he was young, throughout his life, he never learned to read or write, he was placed in a foreign country, forced to learn a foreign language. He grew up without a relationship with his biological father, pride and searching for a belonging a foreign environment was the driving force of confused identity. The t-shirt is abundant with layers of Mexican culture, through the use of symbolic colors, black letter typography and the physicality of embroidery, which are prominent motifs in Mexican culture. Catholicism and name on the neckline of the garment has a personal connection to the artist, growing up as a practicing catholic, and how these relationships embody morals and identity.
