Jazmine Atienza

The subject of my work has varied greatly over the years, but always remains very personal, reflecting my place in life. My latest path began with a trip to the mountains in the Philippines in 2011, meeting and learning about the tribal people in the Northern region. On returning to the US, I became intrigued by the meaning of representation and understanding cultural identity, specifically my own Filipino heritage. I wanted to paint it, but I needed to know more. This led me to Southern California, where I am learning about Filipino tribal culture and more broadly how ancient cultures are revived and represented via tattoos in the modern day. And so I study this craft as well, crossing disciplines of painting and canvas, to ink and skin.