MIRIAMCABRERA
© MIRIAM CABRERA-SANTANA 2026
“VIVE COMO UN NIÑO; JUEGA MUCHO, RÍETE MUCHO Y DÉJALE LAS PREOCUPACIONES A DIOS.” - MAX LUCADO
DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE BAD ART!
Create art for fun! Not all art has to look “good” allow yourself to explore through serious play. Our curiosity stems from our childlike nature that we are expected to get rid of as we age. SeRiOus pLAy nurtures a playful approach to creative exploration.
(NEW YORK CITY)
but what’s not these days?
EARTH EXPLORATIONS:
SCULPTURES & INSTALLATIONS
SEMILLAS | SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Conceptual Installation featured in the “Photo Plus” Show.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
This project sheds light on the struggles faced by Latino and immigrant families, aiming to foster understanding and inspire compassionate action through shared stories. It explores issues at the U.S. border and the displacement of families who live with the fear, grief, and uncertainty tied to immigration.
At the center of the installation is a flower bed measuring 3 feet tall by 1.5 feet wide—roughly the size of a child—created to symbolically honor the lives of children lost or forever changed by these experiences. Marigolds, known in Nahuatl as Cempasúchil, meaning “flower of 400 lives,” represent both remembrance and resilience. Commonly used during Día de los Muertos, they carry cultural and spiritual weight as symbols of life and death. Central to the work is a Mexican proverb, “They wanted to bury us but they didn’t know we were seeds.” These words speak to the enduring strength of those who persist through oppression, transforming pain into new life.
The project also incorporates handmade paper embedded with seeds, created from recycled materials collected from the community. Viewers are invited to take a piece of seeded paper, bury it in soil, and care for what grows—a quiet act of remembrance, rooted in love and healing.
MUEBLE PARA TOCADISCOS
(WOOD SCULPTURE)
UNITED IN FAITH
(CONCEPTUAL SCULPTURE)
This conceptual sculpture explores the weight of grief and the deeper connections that can form through it. After losing a loved one, I found my relationship with God strengthened, drawing me closer to my faith I used lead fishing weights to symbolize both the heaviness of loss and the spiritual idea of rebirth.
RANDOM SHOTS OF B&W FILM PHOTOS I LOVE
DRAWINGS, DOODLES, & FUN
WANDERLUST: AN EXPLORATION OF EARTH + HERITAGE
- Having spent the majority of my life traveling between the Carolina’s my sharpest memory is represented by an aerial shot of the I-77 roads.
- The sad, yet vivid memory of constant construction sites on the way to school is depicted in the second composition (Fort Mill, SC).
- The third composition, el pueblito de mi mamá, (Apaxco, MX) is a small community full of memories related to chilly weather and fútbol fields made out of craters in the earth.
- Yet to be explored, the coast of El Salvador shows a rich beautiful array of colors. With knowledge solely based off of research and stories, this composition was approached in an imaginative manner.
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Oaxaca, known for its captivating landscapes, es el terreno conocido through el amor del mundo de mi cuñado.
- Our ancestry is embedded within our veins and stories of the past. La tierra de nuestra historia mexicana begins with the indigenous ruins of Teotihuacán. The geometric shapes reminded me of wooden blocks that I would stack to make houses, as a kid.
- Finally the most vivid memory from my first visit to Jalisco (age 7) is present in the space surrounding la Basilica de Zapapon and artesanías.
This foam board sculpture symbolizes the challenges faced by upcoming generations in our modern world. A raised fist at its core signifies not only the Black Lives Matter movement but also serves as a universal symbol of protest, including advocacy for women's rights and gun control. The sculpture portrays the ongoing struggle for change, propelled by the youth, who are reshaping history. Surrounding the fist are shields representing the entrenched ideals and norms of previous generations, which often suppress dissenting voices. Within the arm structure lies a representation of individual uniqueness, highlighting the diversity inherent in human experience. The sculpture explores the dynamic interaction between tradition and progress, activism and conformity, and it also explores the power of collective action to challenge societal norms.
DESIGN PROJECTS + FUN
TYPOGRAPHY
Benedito Sans
LOTERIA STICKER CAMPAIGN
Dreams Without Borders
CONTEMPORARY DESIGNER POSTER
Designing From the Margins with Jessica Bellamy
S T R E E T E X P R E S S I O N :P
MORE COMING SOON...