The silhouette behind the Instagram profile (1) / Series
Patricia L. Cardenas Cinco
(@bloodymedusa)
(@bloodymedusa)
Whichever way you look at it, browsing Instagram is and remains socially accepted voyeurism. Patricia L. Cardenas Cinco (21) is one of the three hundred million members that use Instagram on a monthly basis. Her page consists mainly of selfies that leave little to the imagination. A young girl who is unafraid to expose her lesbianism, who considers smoking a buffer between her and her art rather than a necessary evil, and who - above all - is brimming with self-confidence, in spite of her difficult childhood.
‘I haven’t yet found an artist name, but most people call me Trisha or recognize me by my username “bloodymedusa”. I lived in the Philippines until I was thirteen and went to a Christian school there. About eight years ago, we moved to the US. I studied English and general subjects
like math and science so I didn’t have a hard time adapting and communicating with others after we moved to New York.’
Remember who loved you no matter how fucked up in the head you were.
Cinco is the eldest of three. She has a little sister and brother. ‘My early youth was a privilege. I grew up free and careless, but this came to an end after family issues arose. I still can’t fully comprehend what happened at the time. I didn’t understand, but I was simply dragged into it. We
moved to my mother’s side of the family and lived in the Filipino province of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. It’s known for its infinite rice fields and its - sometimes unbearable - heat, but also for fresh air, floods, and devastating storms. It was nothing compared to Manila, where we moved
later on while awaiting our Visas. This took almost a year. Setting foot in America meant a fresh start.
Sex and art are the same thing (Pablo Picasso)
Up until a few months ago, Patricia lived with her parents, but she is now living in the Bronx with her girlfriend. ‘My parents are radical Christians and disapprove of my lesbian lifestyle. I no longer felt welcome.’ On her profile, I noticed several provocative “games” between her and her girlfriend, ever so playful and innocent, but recently they disappeared. Along with some stray family snapshots and selfies, I see images of drawn or painted work. Cinco is still young and her oeuvrereflects this. A hint of vulnerability, but also something rough and fatalistic, seeps through.
‘My art is mainly inspired by my girlfriend, Dasia Declet. She is the one that’s been keeping me sane for all these years. our relationship is sheer madness. There are ups and downs, naturally, but I have always loved her for who she is.’ ‘And yes, when it comes to my work I have always
been vulnerable. I bleed through my artwork. When painting or drawing, I am in pain. I hold a very emotional attachment towards my work. I want to show people that art can be strange, and questionable, and sometimes that hurts and confuses us. The love for art is a war in itself. Nothing beats the wave of emotions that people experience when they see something beautiful. That is why I do it, and I will always strive for that.’
When I ask her who she wants to become in the future, she replies, ‘a dedicated artist with her own studio. I want to live a purposeful, and therefore happy life and touch people with my artwork.’
REPEAT AFTER ME:
‘My current situation
is not my final destination’
Visit her on https://instagram.com/bloodymedusa. Or, in her own words: ’i am mine and no one
else's.’ (tw)
‘I haven’t yet found an artist name, but most people call me Trisha or recognize me by my username “bloodymedusa”. I lived in the Philippines until I was thirteen and went to a Christian school there. About eight years ago, we moved to the US. I studied English and general subjects
like math and science so I didn’t have a hard time adapting and communicating with others after we moved to New York.’
Remember who loved you no matter how fucked up in the head you were.
Cinco is the eldest of three. She has a little sister and brother. ‘My early youth was a privilege. I grew up free and careless, but this came to an end after family issues arose. I still can’t fully comprehend what happened at the time. I didn’t understand, but I was simply dragged into it. We
moved to my mother’s side of the family and lived in the Filipino province of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. It’s known for its infinite rice fields and its - sometimes unbearable - heat, but also for fresh air, floods, and devastating storms. It was nothing compared to Manila, where we moved
later on while awaiting our Visas. This took almost a year. Setting foot in America meant a fresh start.
Sex and art are the same thing (Pablo Picasso)
Up until a few months ago, Patricia lived with her parents, but she is now living in the Bronx with her girlfriend. ‘My parents are radical Christians and disapprove of my lesbian lifestyle. I no longer felt welcome.’ On her profile, I noticed several provocative “games” between her and her girlfriend, ever so playful and innocent, but recently they disappeared. Along with some stray family snapshots and selfies, I see images of drawn or painted work. Cinco is still young and her oeuvrereflects this. A hint of vulnerability, but also something rough and fatalistic, seeps through.
‘My art is mainly inspired by my girlfriend, Dasia Declet. She is the one that’s been keeping me sane for all these years. our relationship is sheer madness. There are ups and downs, naturally, but I have always loved her for who she is.’ ‘And yes, when it comes to my work I have always
been vulnerable. I bleed through my artwork. When painting or drawing, I am in pain. I hold a very emotional attachment towards my work. I want to show people that art can be strange, and questionable, and sometimes that hurts and confuses us. The love for art is a war in itself. Nothing beats the wave of emotions that people experience when they see something beautiful. That is why I do it, and I will always strive for that.’
When I ask her who she wants to become in the future, she replies, ‘a dedicated artist with her own studio. I want to live a purposeful, and therefore happy life and touch people with my artwork.’
REPEAT AFTER ME:
‘My current situation
is not my final destination’
Visit her on https://instagram.com/bloodymedusa. Or, in her own words: ’i am mine and no one
else's.’ (tw)
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