Sugar crystallizes something in our American soul. It is emblematic of all industrial processes. And of the idea of becoming white. White being equated with pure and 'true': it takes a lot of energy to turn brown things into white things. A lot of pressure.

I was making big paintings with mythological themes. When I started painting black figures, the white professors were relieved, and the black students were like, 'She's on our side.' These are the kinds of issues that a white male artist just doesn't have to deal with.

are adobo, tinola, palabok, sinigang na hipon and turon sweetened by brown sugar at may langka .

It takes a lot of energy to teach.

Challenging and highlighting abusive power dynamics in our culture is my goal; replicating them is not.

To be a truly conscientious artist, you have to look at what's not working and challenge it. You riff on things.