Christian Banez

Christian Banez is a visual artist who focuses on themes of identity, vulnerability, and the immigrant experience, often reflecting his own journey as a queer formerly undocumented, immigrant.

Making art is my mode of sharing perspective. Through image-making, I'm able to consolidate the abstracted thoughts and ideas I have in my head into representative imagery. I don't expect everyone that sees my artwork to fully understand my lived experience as a formerly undocumented, queer, Asian American immigrant who grew up in rural America. But there are universal themes of isolation, nostalgia, and hope in my artwork that I use to reach across any division. Through illustrating concepts of my varying identities and experiences, I've been able to share these ideas even with others who have completely different ways of life and ideals. From there, I hope to start a dialogue with viewers and leave the floor open to work out the nuanced elements together.