Estefania Ajcip’s Sculptural Paintings Unite the Memories of a Separated Family

Los Angeles-based artist Estefania Ajcip creates poignant sculptural paintings in her new exhibition, Folded Memories, exploring the fractures experienced by families when separated. Growing up in Guatemala while her father worked in Los Angeles, Ajcip carries with her memories of a childhood marked by longing for connection. Her works, constructed from birch plywood, papier mache, LED lights, and acrylic, bring to life her recollections in a surreal realm where grief and dreams intertwine.

Using family photos as her inspiration, Ajcip transforms familiar scenes and objects into fantastical compositions. For instance, in "Momo 2012," two adults' grasped hands reveal a longing for connection, while an opening in the birch plywood exposes a forlorn girl and her paper train set. In "Telephone game" (2026), a paper phone and string held to her ear represent Ajcip, while her father stands at a public payphone protruding from the two-dimensional canvas.

This perspective shift occurs throughout her artworks, emphasizing the distance between Ajcip and her father.

Ajcip's piece "Four paths/Two paths?" features a sculptural bus traversing between Los Angeles and Guatemala, with the national bird fluttering at the vehicle's front window. The bird, a symbol of togetherness and hope, underscores the familial unity that Ajcip yearned for during her youth. Across the exhibition, she repeatedly highlights how this longing now fuels her art, demonstrating that strength often emerges from adversity.

Displayed at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles, Folded Memories invites viewers to confront the emotional challenges of familial separation, revealing that Ajcip's art is a powerful testament to the resilience born from such trials.