Changarrito Residency: Iliana Delgado

About the Artist

Iliana Louise “YANA” Delgado is a Mestiza illustrator, painter and ceramicist currently based in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from Buda, Texas, early childhood involvement with community arts, activism, and education led her to search for a deeper understanding of her cultural identity. YANA moved to San Antonio shortly after high school to pursue a BFA in ceramics from the University of Texas at San Antonio, focusing her research on pre-colonial mythology. Inspired by art movements like Chicano/a/x civil rights and indigenous futurism, YANA aims to cultivate a community which fosters compassion for the many forms and functions which connect us.

Artist Statement

Mestizo, derived from the Latin mixticius, was used within the Spanish colonial casta system to denote a person of mixed ancestry. Within this archaic and rigid, race-based hierarchy, I continue to struggle to find grounding while navigating an America that casts me as “Mestiza.” Growing up in a suburb of central Texas, I was often confronted with the disconnect between my cultural origins and the communities in which I was raised. The remedy I have found for this complex and contradictory identity is compassion. As a visual artist, my work is shaped by both my community and my cultural lineage. I focus on Indigenous futurism as a means to question and critique the enduring impacts of colonialism. Through painting, I use the canvas to educate, communicate, and illuminate our interconnectedness with the natural world. As a storyteller, I carry forward traditional narratives through illustration, painting, and ceramics. My art becomes a tool for cultural healing—both for myself and for others.