Alina Perez

At once provocative, unsettling, and entrancing, Alina Perez’s poignant works explore how we recall dark moments in our past and the accuracy of those memories. Hailing from Miami, the Cuban American received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2016 and has been translating trauma onto paper ever since. Rendering her subjects in charcoal and pastel, Perez soulfully captures daring topics from childhood abuse to gender norms.

Personal Style: “I want to unravel the distorted, intricate realities between my past traumas and what I truly identify with today. I want to delve deeper into understanding, directing, and maximizing the impact of my work, and to challenge conventional methods of narration and figurative art.”

On View: Following a residency at Aspen’s prestigious Anderson Ranch Arts Center in 2017, Perez has shown in group exhibitions at Expo Chicago 2018 and the 2019 Atlanta Biennial.

Up Next: This fall, Perez began an MFA program in painting at Yale University School of Art.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2019 Late Fall Issue under the headline “Galerie Emerging Artist Award.” Subscribe to the magazine.