Patria Potestas

by: Michelle Peraza

Patria Potestas a series of portrait paintings of the men in Michelle’s father’s family from Costa Rica. The work reflects family lineage, hierarchy, succession, authoritative heads of family, and Latino male identity and ethos. Through painting the complexities and subtleties of skin of her family, Michelle hopes the viewer can see the uniqueness of the Latino as interestingly varied in appearances because of history; a consideration often ignored.