Shawn Ramos

My work investigates how identity is formed under conditions of rupture—colonial histories, inherited narratives, and systems of power that demand coherence where none naturally exists. Drawing from postcolonial theory, particularly the writings of Frantz Fanon and Stuart Hall, I approach identity not as a stable essence but as something constructed, fractured, and continually negotiated through representation. Growing up between absences—of family, of origin, of clear lineage—has shaped my interest in how individuals learn who they are through what is imposed, remembered, or imagined.

Using Texas-specific iconography and surreal figuration, I examine authority, land ownership, and cultural mythology as forces that discipline the body and psyche. Figures in my paintings and sculptures appear distorted, dislocated, or partially assimilated, reflecting the pressure to conform to dominant narratives while carrying unresolved histories beneath the surface. Monumental symbols—often drawn from regional or national imagery—stand in for institutional power, functioning as both parental and ideological structures from which identity is “downloaded.”

Rather than seeking a return to origins, my work dwells in instability. It treats belonging as provisional and identity as something held together through fragments, memory, and contradiction. By visualizing tension between imposed coherence and lived ambiguity, I aim to create spaces where viewers can reflect on how their own identities have been shaped—by what they inherit, what they lose, and what they are asked to become.