Danessa SantanaSantana

1989, Dominican Republic

Danessa SantanaSantana

My practice explores the construction of living utopias—how to become self-sustaining island-beings through the intertwining of our cultural identity with the land, its memory, and its oral histories. Rooted in local folklore, my work serves as a channel for resistance and decolonization.

Through the use of paper, durational performances, and other ephemeral materials, I seek to liberate natural forms and refocus my practice on returning to an equanimous center—one that moves away from the sensory exploitation of our hyper-manufactured realities.