Artist statement describing “Graceless Failure,” :
Having been born and raised in an Asian household that prioritized academics above all else, I’ve always been interested in aptly capturing the experience of failure in my work. Thus, this particular paper mache piece was created using past school worksheets and assignments. Using a dark palette and messy textures to convey the discordance of validation, I focused my work around the shape of a swan in an attempt to convey the pressures of maintaining poise in the face of constant failure and scrutiny.
Amber Pineda is a student creative living in Dededo, Guam. Her work has been featured in Cathartic Lit, the Belladonna Comedy, redrosethorns magazine, and the Youth Speaks: Human Rights in Verse Anthology. She currently interns for the Pacific Daily News and was invited as a featured writer in an upcoming workshop.