Download essay by Laurence Williams 

Alive memories and happy places

Exploring the words nature, food, leaves and memories, this installation searches to produce a feeling of comfort. I took a material that represents for me a part of the culture of my country, Mexico. Used to prepare meals that help to construct memories, the corn husks hold the piece. With my art, I try to deliver a cultural message since one’s self is defined by one’s geographical context. I based my artistic practice mainly on Mexican culture because it is my native country and added Québec's cultural context, as it is my host country. Sharing is a keyword in my work; I want to share my experiences and, with the process, uncover the effects of living in more than one culture.

The article by Ursula K.Le Guin, The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction, was for me an immersive text in which I could travel into my memories. I remembered my country's tropical nature and the humble lifestyle that is forgotten in our modern society. This is how I interpreted the text.

About the Artist

Anahi is a Mexican Canadian artist based in Montreal. Born in Torreon, Coahuila and have lived for ten years in the city of Villahermosa in Tabasco, she moved to Montreal at the age of twelve with her mother and sister. She fell in love with the city after some dark years of trying to adapt to her new life. From a young age, she discovered her love and passion for the visual arts and, after moving to Montreal, the strong Mexicanness that she could only see being far away. So, she decides to talk about her experiences and feelings of living in two cultures through her art.