Muégano

Muégano is a richly textured artwork inspired by the traditional Mexican candy of the same name: clusters of sweet, sticky pieces bound tightly together. This visual metaphor extends to the lives of Mexican families living across California and the U.S.-Mexico border: interconnected, resilient, and shaped by the push and pull of two worlds.

What gives Muégano deeper urgency is its intimate relationship with the ocean. Created using natural mineral pigments and archival, plant-based mediums, the piece calls attention to the environmental responsibility we hold, especially as coastal communities. It reminds us that the ocean begins at home, at our taps, drains, and daily choices, and that our actions on land directly affect marine ecosystems.

The swirling, layered forms represent not just familial ties and cultural identity, but also the interconnected flow of water, resources, and consequences across borders. Coastal cities like San Diego and Tijuana may be divided politically, but they share one ocean, one climate, one responsibility.

Muégano is both personal and planetary: a tribute to human connection and a call to recognize the invisible but vital labor of the ocean in sustaining life. It urges us to protect what binds us all: the water that nourishes, connects, and reflects our collective future.