Lydia Cecilia is a self-taught collage artist whose work explores the infinite possibilities of creating unique and relatable identities. Working with vintage magazines as the source of inspiration and material, Lydia utilizes the realistic and romantic perspectives of the human figure as captured in older media to recontextualize and recreate into images of contemporary identities. Exploring perspectives and materiality, Lydia has recently begun to incorporate real dried flowers and fragments of natural materials into her work, as further reflections of the inevitable changes and transformations of people through time.
Lydia continues to grow her practice with a genuine commitment to what’s most valuable and beautiful in the world of art: accessibility and community.
-Written by Mariana Rivera, friend and founder of The Art Shop Gallery.
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Which ‘hood are you in?
Originally from Sevilla, Spain, I moved to Vancouver three years ago. All this time I have been living at UBC. It is a hood that I really love because it allows me to be surrounded by nature, one of the things that I value the most from my life here.
What do you do?
I’m a visual artist and small business owner.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on new pieces belonging to my ‘Mixed identity’ series. I started to work in the series as a part of the past exhibition ‘Mixed Gems’ with The Art Shop Gallery last October. ‘Mixed Gems’ was a celebration of mixed identity and its expression through art. Through our artwork, the participating artists in this exhibition explored our personal understanding of our mixed cultural heritage.
To me, as immigrants, on some occasions, we can feel broken. The pieces of our identity that belong to the culture and heritage of our place of origin, may seem that they do not fit with those that come from the place that welcomes us. The artworks belonging to my ‘Mixed identity’ series, celebrate the mixed identity, which emerges as a result of encompassing all the pieces that compose our life.
The golden thread, which connects fragments in all those artworks, makes reference to the Japanese technique Kintsugi, and it intends to give coherence to each part of the history of my life as an immigrant, rather than keeping the breakage.
Where can we find your work?
I am so honoured to work with The Art Shop and PxP Contemporary galleries. You can find some of my pieces available on their websites.
Also, all my original artwork and prints are available at my website and shop, and I am always open to commissions and collaborations.
I really love to participate in Art markets and Pop-ups around the city, so stay tuned, I frequently update my Instagram with the next events, they are a great opportunity to chat and see my work in person.
