"La Jaula" is an open cage. This series is born from the emotional and psychological trauma caused by the male body stereotype shared throughout Puerto Rico's conservative culture. The project focuses on black-and-white nude self-portraits that explore how the body communicates psychological shifts.

  
I began to develop "La Jaula" to cope with insecurities and understand whose body this was. I started by shielding myself, and once I felt comfortable enough, I removed motion and objects that hid my skin. After connecting with the project, I was curious to explore this new state of comfort in my homeland. It resulted in a new connection represented by nudity, a sense of belonging, and a clear contrast between my mental health state on colonist grounds vs. Puerto Rico. The project intends to have meaningful conversations across generations about relevant and timely topics, such as colonized bodies, repressed feelings, oppression, and the patriarchal hold over men's vulnerability. I wish to engage in decolonizing and anti-patriarchal conversations that hopefully help men realize the cage they live in due to our society's gender roles. 

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La Jaula