Karina Sanchez Jaimes was born in Toluca, Mexico. At the age of 10, she and her family immigrated to Canada. Today, she is studying Industrial Design at Humber College, and helps her family run a Mexican food business at Scadding Court Community Centre.
This exhibition features a series of paintings that Karina made last summer. Her intent is for people to understand that when they migrate, and when they bring kids along, those children also “go through it.” Adults often focus on their reasons for leaving, their vision or goals, but the child has their own internal narrative of rupture and disturbances. The child moves through her own journey witnessed only by herself.
“We were being targeted by the cartel. It was very intense. We were afraid. When we applied for refugee status, I had to write repeatedly about how bad it is to live in Mexico, and our family had to go through multiple interviews. They would question me, as a 10-year old, and yet if I wanted to speak up in response to other questions, I was shut down… The lawyers would ask me what I remember, what the difficult things were that we went through. My childhood experiences were framed and reframed within this narrative of negativity and violence. Ultimately, my parents can remember happy memories of Mexico, but I cannot.”
This exhibition traces Karina’s difficult story, and, happily, her eventual arrival at peace within her being.
What I Left Behind
This was the first painting in this series. The work depicts the artist as a child on a path. “In order to journey to Canada, I had to leave behind my home, my three dogs, and my grandparents.” Karina began painting this work last summer when she realized her home was being sold. Given her dogs and grandparents had passed away, this was the last of the relationships that still rooted her to Mexico.
Life & Death
In Mexican culture, the borders between life and death are more permeable. The spirit world is part of daily life. The artist depicts here, heaven and earth meeting in the present moment. In another image, we see a coming together of the older self embracing the younger self. It can be said that in this painting series, the artist made herself whole again through the creation of a personal iconography that connects cultural beliefs and individual struggle.
Tika
“I wanted to portray my dog Tika as an ‘alebrije’ – a spirit animal. In my culture, we believe that spirits are always coming back, and they are always looking after you. The alebrije symbolizes imagination, spiritual protection, and cultural identity.
Usually alebrije are sculpted out of wood. I chose painting as my medium.”
Turning Point
“This one piece I actually painted a few years ago. Up until then, I had mostly made paintings of astronauts, space, beautiful things I saw on Pinterest… Then for some reason, one day, I wanted to do something with Mexican culture. I wanted to paint a skull, I wanted to challenge myself, but I didn’t want to depict an ofrenda (offerings table). I was drawn to the idea of Mexican clothing. I didn’t want to look sad, so I chose bright colours.”
“In my memories, I can only recall myself as a 5 or 10 years old. For a few years, I only ever remembered myself when I was 10. Then I saw a photo of myself when I was 5. I was able to remember things from when I was younger. Other than that, the only thing I could remember was when they came and stole everything from our house. After this, I could remember a little more, like my birthday party, which I think was why I was wearing a dress in this photo.”
Identity
“Up until last summer,” says Karina, “I was basically dragging everything. I didn’t know what to do with my experiences. Then I started going to therapy, and I realized that that time of my life doesn’t define me.”
This painting seems to symbolize the integration of the artist’s past, present and future selves.
“I also realized I have more empathy for kids because of what I went through. I think I have the capacity to comprehend more of their full experience, more of their emotions. Sometimes things hurt them, and adults don’t realize it. I’ve noticed that kids are drawn to me. They often tell me about things that I can’t do anything about. Before I went into Industrial Design, I considered becoming a child psychologist… maybe in another future…”
My Childhood
“In Mexico, our home was initially only fenced off. But when I was five, we went out of town to visit my grandmother, and while we were away all our belongings were stolen. Our home was emptied out. After this, my parents built a two-story brick wall with additional fencing on top. I grew up playing behind this wall with my three dogs – Tika, Firulais, and Tribilin.
My brother just liked to stay indoors playing video games. Once in a while, I could visit with school friends. Even with my cousins, my parents had a hard time allowing me to go. The cartel was telling us, ‘we know where your kids go to school, we know everything about you.’ So I guess they were afraid of letting us out of their sight.”
Chapter Closure
“This painting is about the feeling of deciding all this is behind me. In this work, you see my older self embracing my younger self.
I remember I started it, and I couldn’t finish it until yesterday, the night before meeting with you [the curator]. I remember I had wanted to add more detail. But I realized maybe I was avoiding closing the chapter. It feels good to decide that it is finished. I am finished. I am no longer connected to those feelings or that process anymore. I don’t want to re-open that chapter again. I’m ok with it.”
Karina’s exhibition is on view at PS707 from May 15, 2026 to June 6, 2026. Opening reception May 15, 5-7pm. Gallery open Wednesdays and Fridays 11-7pm, or by appointment.
