Miriam Amaro Ochoa's Projects

BFA Student

Major: Sculpture

Graduation Year: 2017

Artist Statement:

As Americans, we live in an American Empire. A culture best described to turn a blind eye because we don’t involve ourselves unless it concerns us personally. To me, deportation has been something personal since the very beginning. All my family are from Mexico, and as my brother was deported, it became more serious. A threat to me was established where I felt as if there was a constant battle between the government and my family. My brother's story isn’t unique, as it is happening to millions of Latinos across the United States. Those who are fighting to stop the deportation in the US are latinos, whether they are illegal or not. Most Americans disregard this fight because they see a fight between race, but in my eyes it is a fight between human rights and the law. To me all human being are not illegal and should not be disregarded.

I produce artworks to demonstrate the violation of human rights in the United States. I deconstruct and reconstruct manufactured goods to stimulate personal narratives of migrants or labor workers.

Biography:

Miriam is a political and socially engaged artist. She brings forth the problems and violation of human rights from immigration to modern day slavery. With her installations/sculptures she stimulates personal stories of migrants or labor workers, stating the corruption in our judicial and economic marketing. Miriam informs herself through media, documentaries, textbooks, and personal experiences.