Cassandra Isobelle Flores

Artist Statement

I put a piece of myself in everything I create. I use my work to express what often gets lost in translation – to intersect self-concept, sacrifice, and autonomy all in one place. It is deeply rooted in the internal conflict of playing tourist in my birth country (Mindanao, Philippines) and also never being American enough. And at the same time, it is a love letter to myself, my heritage, and the ancestors that keep my heart beating.

I’m a second-year sociology and communications student at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. My studies require nonstop writing, interviewing, and research. In all of this, I’ve learned that only so much can be translated by word. Art goes to a place where language alone cannot.

I am always learning from my work, whether in painting or photography, and I hope a part of myself resonates with you as well.