DOMINIQUE MUÑOZ | Migration, 2024

The matriarchs of my family curated their homes in ways that I couldn't understand. Frames hung from odd heights, little shrines emanated a gentle glow, and green foliage flourished. The creative well of my influence begins here, in these domestic spaces. My photographs are often set in environments reminiscent of my childhood, supercharged with imagination. I create surreal scenes using artificial lights and objects from my grandmother's home. I’m experimenting with esoteric, naturalistic rituals: the mysticism of my Mesoamerican ancestors.  My work explores the themes of assimilation, family, and memory. As part of my practice, I deconstruct photographs, collaging them to build photographic objects. The textures in my work originate from childhood blankets, which obscure my portraits with armor. With backdrop stands and strobes, I photograph these textiles to conjure and honor the spirits of my Guatemalan matriarchs. 

Political instability and armed conflict in Guatemala during the mid-20th century spurred significant waves of migration to the United States. My family was among those who embarked on this journey. As a third-generation Guatemalan American, I grapple with a disconnection from my ancestral roots. The Parakeet, a symbol in my piece Migration, references these migration patterns to the United States, evoking a sense of displacement caused by political figures in power. I mirror this migration with our environmental concerns as bird migration patterns change, impacting the growth of new life here on Mother Earth. The piece is an archival inkjet print with transparent parakeet images adhered to the print with magnets that cast a subtle green hue over areas of the print. 

BIO

Dominique Muñoz is a Guatemalan-American visual artist whose photographs are grounded in environments reminiscent of his childhood memories, supercharged with imagination. In his current practice, he’s working with photographs, handmade books, printmaking, and found objects. His work explores themes of cultural assimilation, family, memory, and mysticism of his Mesoamerican ancestors. Dominique was the 1906 Group's inaugural Photographer-in-Residence shortly after graduating with his BFA in Photography & Film from VCUarts. He traveled around the country for over a year, documenting the art of building, highlighting the collectivism involved in construction. In 2017, Dominique was awarded his first solo exhibition at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., for his project, The Art of Building. He was recently awarded the 2024 Society of Photographic Educators Student in Innovative Imaging. His work has been part of several group exhibitions, including Soft Times Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Candela Books & Gallery (Richmond, VA), Silver Eye Center for Photography (Pittsburgh, PA), and The Curated Fridge (Somerville, MA).