JESSICA ELENA AQUINO
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Cactus of Jessie: la invisible, la bruja, la mártir
2025
Frame loom weaving, indigo and cochineal-dyed yarn; synthetic yarn, clothespins, beads, screenprint on silk habotai and silk organza, sewing thread, embroidery on letterpress satin ribbon


Influenced by the Tree of Jesse, a biblical genealogy of Christ, and illuminated manuscripts, I reframe the traditional family tree by tracing lineage through my matriarchal line—whose labor, sacrifice, and stories have formed the foundation of my family’s legacy. I work with domestic materials and “women’s work”—clothespins, embroidery—often overlooked and undervalued. These humble items are transformed into crowns—relics of survival, care, and resilience. I honor the hands that fold laundry, thread needles, and have birthed future generations.
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I engage with my Catholic upbringing, acknowledging how the women in my family are often the most devout within a patriarchal system, quietly embodying devotion in ways that extend beyond the church. I reflect on the often unseen acts of care and labor that women perform, reshaping what it means to be reverent and devoted.

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