The Photography of Suzanne Gonsalez-Smith

The imagery of my photographs contains the metaphor of memory and myth. Using the contemporary framework of my personal history I explore personal loss, religious and cultural identities linked with the inescapable essence of mortality. Nostalgia for what once was plays heavily throughout the threads of my imagery. Using both traditional and cultural images of symbolism to further the narrative creates imagery that speaks of the human experience. The use of this symbolism is a direct reference to the 17th century Vanitas paintings and early training in Catholicism as a child. Subjects include my own children, antique toys and dolls, articulated skeletons, and vintage appropriated photographs. The use of bones in my work is a valid reminder of my Hispanic roots. Other cultural references are also used, such as Meso-American imagery and images of war from the 1910 – 1920 Mexican Revolution during the reign of my Great-Great Uncle, Pancho Villa of Mexico. I use metaphor to tell stories and explore narratives our current times.

Suzanne Gonsalez-Smith 2024-25