Los Angeles-based artist Estefania Ajcip uses her childhood to sculpt her art. Her latest exhibition, Folded Memories, explores the gaps in family life when separated by distance.

Ajcip’s work combines birch plywood, papier-mâché and small LED lights into a surreal world where dreams merge with the pain of separation. From a paper phone and string to a bus symbolising travel between Guatemala and Los Angeles, each piece reveals new perspectives, hinting at her longing for unity.

“Momo 2012” shows two adults holding hands, while an opening in the wooden structure reveals a lost child with a train set, evoking memories of missed moments. The exhibition is on view until August 22nd at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles and serves as a powerful reminder that strength can grow from adversity.

Ajcip’s art speaks to universal experiences of family separation, offering a poignant reflection on the enduring impact of childhood memories. As she says: “The longing that defined my youth now fuels my work.”