Artist Statement

Taken from a sociological standpoint, Amanda Robles’s current body of work addresses the deconstruction of romanticized perceptions (in regards to gender, ­sexuality, and our social relationships) developed in our formative years. As a fan of John Locke’s tabula rasa/blank slate theory, she approaches identity and attraction as being products of our social constructions refined by countless external stimuli that have registered with us in a subconscious manner during youth; simple seemly inconsequential moments that have impacted us in significant ways that most of us are very unaware of. She critiques the oversimplification and impulse to taxonomize human idiosyncrasies (especially in reference to the complexities of sexuality and the concept of orientation.) In addition, this body of work also ponders the psychological, emotional, and transformative impact of deconstructing our social identities. She contemplates the necessary betrayal of disconnection, so that we can in turn transcend the socially predetermined filters of reality that we live in.  It is no surprise that Robles’s credits her work to be heavily influenced by the philosophies of Judith Butler and Jean-Paul Sartre.