Cristina Mora (The Land Within Us)

Cristina Mora's photograph from her series My Mother, My Self (Mi Madre, Yo Misma), a black and white double exposure photograph of the artist and her mother. Both women have a somber expression, and are looking into the distance.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your background?

My name is Cristina Mora, and I am a Colombian-American fine art photographer. I was born in Atlanta, GA, and raised right outside the city.

I picked up photography during middle school because everyone was required to take a photo class, so when I got in, I had never taken pictures before, let alone with a purpose. Pinhole cameras were the first thing I learned about in class. But once my teacher taught black and white 35mm film, it was over – I was entirely in awe of the process. I never thought it would turn into anything beyond that class.

And now, over ten years later, it's become my true love. I am a process-oriented artist, and I love experimenting, working with darkroom processes, and paper-making. I photograph primarily on film, but if I work on digital, I always find some way to bring the images into the darkroom. I create artwork about mental health, identity, nature, or a combination of them.

How would you describe your art practice in three words? 

Peculiar, Laborious, and Fulfilling.

What is your favorite art medium to work with?

Photography. I primarily work with older photographic processes, lately the Cyanotype. I worked with black and white images for so long that this is my way of bringing color back into my work. I love how vibrant the blue is once dried and, depending on the image, how dreamy it can be. And the Cyanotype process is the least toxic of all the chemical processes, which is perfect for me to work within my home.

Please tell us about the artwork you are showing in The Land Within Us?

The image in The Land Within Us comes from my documentary series, My Mother, My Self (Mi Madre, Yo Misma). It's an in-camera double exposure of portraits of my mother and me, shot on black and white 4x5 large format film. The project documents our relationship. In this work, we explore our perceptions of each other through religion, culture, and womanhood. Throughout making these photographs, we uncovered our differences and similarities. Through photographing, and the conversations that accompanied it, I got a better sense of her life experiences. This series is a testimony to our lineage, culture, and experiences. Through the discourse of womanhood, vulnerability, and faith, I explore and create a comprehensive view of intimacy and the growing relationship between mother, daughter, and God.

Are you working on anything new that we should know about? What’s next?

I am experimenting more with my cyanotype printing process, and I want to expand it to a larger scale. A few years ago, I altered the chemistry to make it possible to print on non-porous surfaces – I have printed on mirrors many times in my previous work but only up to 12-inch pieces. I want to create work where people can interact with the artwork and immerse themselves in it. Mirrors offer the viewer the ability to be one with the artwork. It prompts them to envision themselves in the environment, and making these pieces larger would act as a portal to transport the viewer into the image.

Where can we find more of your artwork online?

You can find the entire series of My Mother, My Self, along with more of my artwork on my website: www.cristinamora.photo and, you can see my latest work and behind the scenes of my process on my Instagram: @mora_cristina. 

A woman with dark hair and red lipstick sits in a chair in a gallery space. She is smiling with her hands placed in her lap.