CANMORE – With her exhibit Something About Crucifixion, artist Krissya Iraheta hopes to highlight the general feeling of religious trauma that many Latin Americans experience while bringing in her own personal experiences to tell a story.
“It is a show where I am thinking a lot about my experiences as a Latin American woman, thinking about things like generational trauma,” Iraheta said. “Through generational trauma, I am thinking about religious trauma and experiences in my own personal life.”
Iraheta graduated from the University of Alberta in June, and one month later found out she was going to be part of the RISE Emerging Artist Exhibition. At the time, she was in Minneapolis as part of an international artist residency program.
“It was really exciting and I felt it was a bountiful moment for me,” Iraheta said. “I feel it is a special opportunity to do this so soon after graduating. I am very excited and very grateful.”
For the exhibition, Iraheta has a mix of paintings and sculptures. Some feature bubbly imagery and pastel colours, while others are darker scenes.
“I like to juxtapose the innocence of childhood with the mysterious recesses of the adult soul, with sarcasm and humour,” she said.
Her favourite piece is titled Jesus of Suburbia, named for the Green Day song on their album American Idiot.
“I made it out of Masonite and I cut the Masonite in the shape of a crucifix and painted on top of it,” Iraheta said. “It is a piece where I think a lot of my own experiences as a little girl and the feelings I had around religion and the life I wanted to build for myself.”
Iraheta’s love of art began in high school, where she found an outlet for herself with painting.
“I just found the process to be so freeing and liberating,” she said. “Oil painting was my first love. There was just something about the process of painting that made me feel so peaceful and gave me the outlet to create these stories.”
Heading into the exhibition, which opens on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m., Iraheta is both excited and nervous.
“I love my work and am proud of the pieces I make but I know I am working with touchy subjects and jarring imagery,” she said. “I am excited and nervous to see how the people of Canmore react to the work.”
Something About Crucifixion runs at artsPlace in Canmore from Feb. 16 to March 16 and is free to attend.
