iamthewest

‘Desert people are just different; they were born to survive’

#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.

Mikayla Whitmore Dec. 1, 2022 From the print edition
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Mikayla Whitmore/High Country News

JUSTIN FAVELA
Multidisciplinary Artist
Las Vegas, Nevada

The desert is home to me. My family’s here. The air is different; the sun just hits you a little bit harder. It’s still the wild West out here, and it is such a unique experience living in a place where the world comes to play. People come to get rowdy and to let their guards down, which is ripe with inspiration for my visual art. I am interested in exploring the notions of authenticity, place and identity using familiar materials to make large-scale installations, sculptures and paintings. My interest in art history, Latinx culture, community, celebration, home, and my obsession with pop culture, informs my practice with the intention of dismantling institutional hierarchies. I can breathe a little lighter when I get off a plane in Las Vegas. Desert people are just different; they were born to survive.

Mikayla Whitmore is a queer artist and photojournalist, working within the realms of photography, sculpture, and installation. Follow them on Instagram.

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