Who says my hand a needle better fits
Genre cover by Paola Alvarez
Why is this piece your Trace Fossil?
“Through my art, I seek to address the challenges girls face growing up in a patriarchal society. I depict the never-ending societal labyrinth and paradoxes women experience throughout their lives. Portraying a diverse array of issues, my work delves into struggles such as beauty standards, the perception of gender as a performative act, and dissatisfaction with traditional domestic roles. My goal is to attract eyes and ears to this issue—to have people witness and understand the obstacles women continue to face.
‘Who says my hand a needle better fits’ encapsulates the theme and experience most of my works stem from. It is an intimate portrait of the bright and wonderful women in my family who have been trapped in the domestic sphere lonely and dissatisfied. Inspired by the Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I try to uncover the women in my life portrayed with aprons dancing behind the prison the stove burner pattern creates. The work uses domestic symbols to communicate the idea of restrictive traditional norms that trap women in roles that they are not content with.”
Paola Alvarez Ramirez is a Miami-based interdisciplinary artist (b. 2006, Paris, FR). Raised in Miami, she has attended magnet art schools since 6th grade. She currently studies at the New World School of the Arts and is due to graduate in June of 2024. Paola’s work revolves around growing up in a patriarchal society as a young woman. She unsettles and directly confronts the viewer, challenging them to acknowledge and address the issues women face through the use of discomforting materials and fluorescent pinks. She was named a Young Artists with Distinction in 2024 by the Youngarts organization and is also a Silver Knights Nominee and nominee for the Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Her first major show was the New World School of the Arts Rising Stars Showcase, following this her work won two Silver Keys and one Honorable Mention in the Scholastics Art and Writing competition. Two of her works were exhibited at the Rubell Museum for the Scholastics exhibition and she has recently displayed her work at the Pérez Art Museum for the NFTE Metaverse Art Exhibit.