Cecilia Paredes

She is primarily known for her permanent photo series "Paisajes" in which she explores the juxtaposition of her body with patterns and the surfaces beneath it. These photographs are composed by way of the selection of a structured background, such as a paper floral tapestry, and her intricate painting of her body so that it matches. The inevitable outlines of her form for the most part encircle her and manifest themselves, depending upon the angle of the camera. In some cases, only a shock of dark hair reveals that a person is in the photograph. Reviews of her shows have stated that Paredes intentionally puts the viewer off-balance by "erasing the line between body and background, throwing what’s real into question in both the artist and her backdrop, and Paredes rips off the stable ground beneath her viewers’ feet".

As themes of migration and displacement dominate her work, along with the use of natural elements, when asked about the impact of physical location on her art, Paredes replies that: "...Costa Rica, for example, gives you exuberant nature, whereas Peru gives you the highlands as a predominant image so you have to attend to those influences. Pennsylvania gives me wonderful forests, for example. It’s one of the most serene and beautiful places I have been to and I’m very attached to it."

Her works have been exhibited in places such as the Tabacalera Promoción del Arte (Madrid, 2015), the Hermitage Museum, the Vladimir Palace (Russia, 2013) and the Museo de la Fotografía (Colombia, 2013).

            Bienal de La Habana 2015. Museo Orgánico Romerillo, Cuba.           

Paredes' works served as the inspiration for Argentinean actress and singer Mía Maestro in her 2014 music video "Blue Eyed Sailor", directed by Guillermo Navarro and Juan Azulay.

Collectively she has shown her works in various biannual shows such as the Havana Biennial, Venice Biennale or the Bienal de Arquitectura de Canarias. She has been an invited international artist in the Feria FIA de Caracas in 2008.

During the 1970s, as a student in Lima, Paredes engaged in intense political activism which caused her to be exiled from Peru, along with her husband. She lived in Mexico for 5 years and in Costa Rica for almost 25 years. She currently lives and works in San José, Costa Rica and in the United States, in Philadelphia,.

Cecilia Paredes (Lima, 1950) is a Peruvian-born multimedia artist residing in Philadelphia. Her primary themes include the power of nature, femininity, and migration, which have been subjects of many of her shows. She frequently utilizes natural elements, often recycled waste materials and primarily organic ones, in her installations. One of her best-known works is "Paisajes" in which she camouflages herself and uses her own figure as a canvas for body painting.