Patricia Perez

Patricia Perez  is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist whose primary practice centers on oil painting, with additional work in mixed media, sewing, drawing, and murals. Her current work explores the lived experiences and stories of migrants traveling from Latin America to the United States, informed by direct engagement with border communities in the Sonoran Desert. Through collaborative art-making processes, Perez examines the complex motivations behind migration while honoring resilience, identity, and cultural memory. As the daughter of a Guatemalan mother and Puerto Rican father, Perez draws deeply from her Hispanic heritage, weaving together narratives shaped by ancestry, displacement, and belonging. Her work reflects a layered historical consciousness rooted in intergenerational knowledge, personal identity, and the blending of two distinct cultural traditions that continue to inform her artistic voice.

Perez’s exhibitions include Los Gatos de Viejo San Juan (Chicago, 2022) and Soy Boricua at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (Chicago, 2023). Her work and community impact have also been featured in a CBS “Hidden Gem” segment (Chicago, 2023). In 2025, she received the Innovation Award from the Chicago Park District in recognition of her creative contributions and community engagement.

Through her practice, Perez seeks to create visual spaces where cultural identity, migration narratives, and ancestral history intersect, inviting viewers to reflect on movement, memory, and the meaning of home.

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