Historias íntimas

Historias íntimas
Intimate Stories

New York, 2009-11

Hand-bound Artist book, letters, and clamshell-box
Text printed digitally, includes one etching print
Edition of 12
Book: 8.5” x 5.5” closed; 8.5” x 11” open
Letters: 8.5” x 11”. Envelopes (No. 10): 4.125” x 9.5”
Box: 10.75”x 9 1/8” x 2 5/8” closed;
9 1/8” x 20 11/16” x 2 9/16” open

A collection of 25 letters from the women in my family—from my 93-year-old grandmother to my 20-year-old cousin—sharing their first time they got their menstruation. Each original handwritten letter was mailed during 2009, then it was scanned and reproduced on fine writing paper and placed inside envelopes with the relationship of each woman to me written on the front.

A one-hundred plus page hand-made book—printed and bound by myself—accompanies the letters as a typed version. The book also contains a translation to either English or Spanish of each letter.

Both book and letters fits into a handmade clamshell-box to protect and hold them together.

PRODUCTION:

Etching printed by the artist at Hunter College Printshop, 2011.

Book binding and clamshell box done by the artist at Center for Book Arts, 2011.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The production of this project was made possible thanks to a 2009-2010 Grant from NoMAA, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

NoMAA logo

RELATED ARTWORKS:

Cartas—De la serie “Historias íntimas” (Letters—From “Intimate Stories” Series)

Días especiales (Special Days)

PROCESS:

Click here to see images when this piece was a work-in-progress

Her Art Will Be Cannibal

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Her Art Will Be Cannibal,
Longwood Art Gallery, Hostos Community College, Bronx, NY
January 16–March 7, 2018
Curated by Alicia Grullón

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound, letters and clamshell-box
Dimensions variable
An exhibition copy accompanies the work

Serie “Flores silvestres” (“Wildflowers” Series)
Collages on vintage botanical prints using images from women’s magazines
Dimensions variable (approx. 8.5” x 5.5” each)

Serie “A flor de piel”
Collages on paper using images from women’s magazines
Left: 14” x 11”; Right: 5.5” x 14” each

She who laughs last, laughs best
Digital collage using images from women’s magazines
60” x 60”

Por siempre joven
Courtesy of The Center for Book Arts

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Silence Unbound: The Artist Lexicon in the Making,
The Center for Book Arts, New York, NY
January 17–March 29, 2014
Curated by Heather Powell

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound, letters and clamshell-box
Dimensions variable

Serie “Por siempre joven” (“Forever Young” Series)
#33 to #41
Artist's gray hair, black silk, and embroidery hoop

Bound by Silence

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Bound by Silence,
Dowd Gallery, Dowd Fine Arts Center @ SUNY Cortland, Cortland, NY
March 12–April 6, 2012
Curated by Heather Powell

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound, letters and clamshell-box
Dimensions variable
An exhibition copy accompanies the work

Historias íntimas

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Disillusions: Gendered Visions of the Caribbean and its Diasporas,
The Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Gallery, New York, NY
November 22–December 31, 2011
Curated by Tatiana Flores

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound, letters and clamshell-box
Dimensions variable
An exhibition copy accompanies the work

Serie “A flor de piel”
Collages on paper using images from women’s magazines
Top: 14” x 11”; Bottom: 5.5” x 14” each

Serie “Flores silvestres” (“Wildflowers” Series)
Collages on vintage botanical prints using images from women’s magazines
Dimensions variable (approx. 8.5” x 5.5” each)

Historias íntimas

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Memories Past and Present: 1765 - 2011,
Morris-Jumel Mansion, New York, NY
Uptown Arts Stroll 2011
June 1–September 12, 2011

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound, letters and clamshell-box
Dimensions variable

Historias íntimas
Courtesy of Galería Antonia Puyó

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

JustMad Art Fair,
Booth from Galería Antonia Puyó,
Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain
February 17–20, 2011

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound and letters
Dimensions variable
An exhibition copy accompanies the work

Días especiales (Special Days)
Print on Paper
11” x 14”

Hoy he roto tus cartas (Today I tore up your letters)
Video
1 minute 27 seconds

120 Minutos de Silencio (120 Minutes of Silence)
Video-performance
120 minutes

Installation of camouflage fabric and cut pieces
Dimensions variable

Historias íntimas

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EXHIBITION DETAILS:

Uptown Arts Review,
Uptown Arts Stroll 2010
Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance Gallery, New York, NY
June 10–August 27, 2010
Curated by Rocío Aranda-Alvarado

Historias íntimas (Intimate Stories)
Artist book hand-bound and letters
Dimensions variable
An exhibition copy accompanies the work

Historias íntimas

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PROCESS:

The complete project took around two years to finish (2009-11). It started with gathering the stories of the first menstruation of women in my family, and then the making of the edition itself—printing, sewing, binding, and making the clamshell-box for each of the 12 copies.

The photographs show parts of the process, from printing the etching plate, binding the book, and working at The Center for Book Arts using the much needed nipping presses and shear boards.

Historias íntimas Intimate Stories

PRODUCTION:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

RELATED ARTWORKS:

PROCESS:

EXHIBITION DETAILS:

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Historias íntimas
Intimate Stories