Sydnie Jimenez: SKIN + MASKS, Kavi Gupta | Elizabeth St.

Sydnie Jimenez is a ceramic artist whose work explores the connections between her identity and experiences as a biracial woman, and social and aesthetic narratives connected with the history of her medium. 

The figures Jimenez creates inhabit the same physchological and social space as her. Their style and fashion is rooted in rap, metal, and punk music, while their skin color is the color of unglazed clay. They represent the people in her own life, her friends and fellow artists, who exist on the fringes of pop culture. 

“A lot of the humanness of the figures fomes from the clay itself,” Jimenez says. “Different heat levels and different clays result in different pigments.” 

Jimenez hand builds the figures, starting with the shoes, not knowing exactly how the figure is going to come to fruition until it is in process. The process allows for unpredictable idiosyncrasies to develop, amplifying the importance of the individuality of each figure. 

The posture of the figures tends to be defensive, and the expressions on their faces project anger and frustration. These outward gestures relate to the personal experiences Jimenez has had throughout her life navigating public spaces within an America dominated by sexist and white supremacist preconceptions. 

“That’s how I have to hold myself in pubic spaces,” Jimenez says. “You have to have a stink face so people don’t approach you. It’s being protective. It’s a defense mechanism.” 

At the same time, Jimenez wants her figures to be relatable. She frequently places the sculptures in pairs or in groups in order to convey a sense of community, like these figures, no matter their struggles, are not alone. 

Jimenez also adds little touches that convey that these works are about being honest, such as giving them a little belly, or adjusting their posture to suggest a sense of confidence despite a look of suspicion in the eyes. 

“I want my work to be aesthetically pleasing,” Jimenez says. “i want to bring joy to an American society that’s founded on white supremacy, and so everywhere you go there’s nothing for you. I want these sculptures to be a place where we can find joy.”