Lilliam Nieves

Crown I, 2019, crochet with wool and glue, 4” x 8” Crown II, 2019, crochet with wool and glue, 2” x 8" Hernandez Castrodad Collection

2014, tampons, variable measures.

2017, chapas de lata de cerveza, medidas variables.

JEVAS, 2020, Composition book and ink, 9.75” x 7.5”

Lilliam Nieves 14:28 2018

For so many years, Puerto Rico continues to be a political dilemma for the United States and for Puerto Ricans themselves. It would be safe to assess that in the creative process of the diaspora the artwork as well as the literary work is marked by the experiences of those who are on the zone in between.

I want to find the homeland as a ritual, without detaching myself from being Puerto Rican, feeling like I am the diaspora, without being so. Being part of the United States without being (although on the island they believe they live in a state) part of it. Keep feeling the Caribbean even if it freezes my bones.

Lilliam Nieves 2:35 2018

We always celebrate our uniqueness, our transparency, and how developed we are; still, we live in a constant, accelerated rhythm of life with no apparent way to stop. We don't think anymore in our lives as a temple, a habitat... we are selfless. We cannot find ourselves in the garbage that swallowed our entire lives in part because our self individualism blinds the capacity to transcend, to be unified as a stronger society. Plastic, that useful material we depend on so much basically turn out to be a big problem. How could we control the ever growing volume of artificial waste? Our individualism is the reason. We are constantly celebrating our own death, we celebrate being plastic, being immortals, being beautiful as this plastic waste is a reflection of who we are.

My proposal is an ironic celebration of being immortalised in plastic, crowned by it following rituals from the past where coins were given or placed in the eyes for a safe travel, only this time is with plastic cups as well.

Lilliam Nieves Time: 3:05 Minutes 2017

Lilliam Nieves Time: 3:50 Minutes 2018

2016 tablón de caoba y tinta 21” x 10 7/8” x 15/16” Private collection

2016 tablón de caoba y tinta 13 1/2” x 7 3/8” x 1 13/16" Private collection

2016 tablón de caoba y tinta 11 3/8” x 7 6/8” x 1 13/16” Private collection

2016 tablón de caoba y tinta 14 3/16" x 8 1/16" x 1 7/8" Private collection

2016 tablón de caoba y tinta 16 1/2” x 10 9/16” x 1 13/16” Private collection

2016 caoba rosa y tinta 3' x 3' x 1" Private collection

2016 caoba rosa y tinta 5' x 3' x 1”

2016 Video Nuestro cuerpo es como un proyecto de escuela: nos cortamos, nos pegamos, borramos y eliminamos nuestra belleza. La transformación de nuestra imagen trastoca nuestra esencia, agonizamos en busca de nuestra propia identidad. Se propone un cuestionamiento del prototipo femenino y el consumo han creado rituales de belleza particulares, desmedidos e incomprensibles.

Lilliam Nieves Still 2010

Still
2010
After a shopping spree we have the obligation to clean our purses of the sometimes enormous quantity of receipts we own. Many of them we keep because of the evidence of its importance but other just go to the irremediably fate of the garbage can. The receipts are the witness of our own waste, our illusional needs, our profile and our life… this video is a portrait of my life.

Still
2010
Physical appearance is the most evident theme in beauty advertising campaigns. Women are the principal targets of the selling strategies in which ads allude to the female figure and refer to their legitimate desire.
These enormous attacks to the feminine psyche generate a series of counterpart behaviours like frustration, gratification, pleasure and suffering; these clearly influence a woman’s self-image.
Therefore, many women tend to do everything in their power to be “beautiful” and to comply with all sorts of impositions gathered from beauty stereotypes.

Still
2010
Its not possible to understand how difficult is the decisions to transformate yourself when it's not a priority. To becomes something else is a serious and complicate decision that involves cash and medical care. It may lead to split personalities because the idea of a perfect body is always subjected to what others try to impose; therefore looking for perfection turns into an obsession that may cause psychological problems that involve more serious medical expenses and health problems. On the other hand, an unnecessary trasnformación could be a form of abuse or masochism that ultimately alter our self-esteem, causing chaos around you with serious consequences.
One of the main challenges of this work was showing myself and my feelings on what beauty is perceived.

Digital Photography on Sintra 2010

Digital Photography 2011

Photography 2010

2009 C-Print

Photo by Centro Curatorial La 15

Net Art 2008

Web
Projection Project
2008

Chick here to view proyect

Wood, ink 2007

15 x 30 in Acrylic on canvas 007

Dia-vete 10 x 30 in Acrylic on canvas 2007

15 x 30 in Acrylic on canvas 2007 Private Collection

15 x 30 inA rylic on canvas 2007

12 x 30 in Acrylic on canvas 2007 Private Collection.

12 x 30 in Acrylic on canvas 2007 Private Collection.

wood, ink variable measures 2001

The Storehouse Group Scope Miami 2008

Installation View | 2011

Installation | 2007

Sketchbook Project 2011 – The Brooklyn Art Library The Sketchbook Project Limited Edition Vol. 1 is a collaborative series of art books created by 5,000 artists from around the world.