Meet Uzumaki Cepeda, a young and extremely talented artist who drills into her memories and desires for inspiration to create. She grew up in the Bronx and is currently based in L.A but is originally from the Dominican Republic. Growing up, Cepeda moved around a lot which paired with her lack of stability and low-income family upbringing, fuels her yearning to be as visual and colorful as she can get when telling her story.
Cepeda believes in only photographing women of color, to draw attention to how important it is to include the women she grew up admiring. The Afro-Latinx community around her became a shelter for her to run to for not only support but also as inspiration. By doing so, she honors the tradition of her culture and allows it to grow while also maintaining inclusivity which brings power to her art.
Her work ranges from photographs to paintings to various installations, each more colorful than the next. She uses faux fur in a complex plethora of ways, whether it be to create a nail art or as the compost and soil used to nourish a plant. Each piece of her work is vibrant with color to remind her of her childhood’s beauty and pain and she uses that to further identify herself as the powerful artist she continues to be.
"Mama"
"Nails"
"Safespace"
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