Brightly colored pinatas are often a staple at celebrations throughout California likely thanks to the influence of neighboring Mexico. While for many people piñatas represent fun, a San Diego artist uses them to spark conversation.
Diana Benavídez was first introduced to piñata making as a teenager visiting Tijuana. She says it wasn’t until years later that picked back up the craft. She told KPBS that by happenstance she had all the tools she needed at her home where she was home recovering from an accident.
One of Benavídez’s first body of works was entitled “Raised in Chula Juana.” She said it was a nod to her childhood when she lived in Chula Vista and visited family often in Tijuana. As a result, she said she deals with identity issues. Benavídez says she works through these issues by expressing herself with art that represents both sides of her identity.
You can learn more about Benavídez's art and how her life on the border influences her work in the KPBS "Only Here" podcast.
