+Statement+

Arvelo's work focuses on the connections between forgotten pasts, current events, and an unfolding future. She creates staggering mystical paintings of various sizes, incorporating tradition from her Haitian and African American heritage. Drawing from heirloom-like stories, she develops her metaphysical visual language. Arvelo bridges symbolic communication between these two diasporas, driven by a deep desire to understand her cultural identity and explore ways of life through remembrance. She creates self-portraits that range from magical realism and unimaginable manifestations that delve into the complexity of selfhood and reflect a return to ancestral knowledge. Using private divination methods, Arvelo surfaces rich ancestral stories and folklore in her paintings. As her work evolves, the paintings become sites of sacredness, ritual, and communion with the unseen, inviting viewers to expand their perspectives.

Spirit Box I, 2024