CLEO-MAR A.A. PAGAN-FIGUEROA

Cleo-Mar (which translates loosely to “Cleo of the Seas”) is not an artist. She is an expressionist. Cleo’s work consists of pieces about lived experiences. Oftentimes, Cleo describes her work as emotions that she communicates with. What comes out is not solely her hand, but the backstories of every emotion she feels. Cleo has learned to transmute traumatic and devastating experiences into pieces of art. Whether it be a poem, a novel, a canvas, or photography, Cleo masterfully displays heart wrenching pieces of art depicting the devastations of the human experience.

— After: Act I is the first edition of a four part series that talks about domestic and sexual violence in the LGBT+ community. Earlier this year Cleo found herself at the center of a sexually violent relationship with another woman. When recounting her story to others Cleo found out two important things, the first being that the general public does not take violence between two members of the LGBT community seriously; the second being that it happens much more often than is reported on. The two discoveries were not mutually exclusive to one another and in fact go hand in hand.

Taking the pain and trauma that Cleo felt she created After; to show her emotions, out her abuser, and most importantly raise awareness about LBGT+ sexual and domestic violence. Act I consists of photos taken by Cleo in her bathroom. The story behind it is after every sexual assault inflected on Cleo by her partner she would as many survivors have try to wash off the acts to try and have any semblance of normalcy after something so traumatic. This is the effects of sexual assault. This is After: Act I.

This is Cleo-Mar A. A. Pagan-Figueroa.

Instagram: @cleosexpressions