Courtesy of
Presa House Gallery
Presa House is proud to announce a solo exhibition of new works by Brownsville-based artist Josie Del Castillo. The opening reception for Matrescence will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 7 to 11 PM, featuring music by DJ Sue Problema. The artist will be in attendance. The exhibition will be on view by appointment through March 15, 2025.
Josie Del Castillo (b. 1992) is a figurative painter born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, where she draws inspiration from her Mexican American heritage and the complexities of life along the border. Del Castillo earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2020. As a first-generation Mexican American, her work explores themes of identity, empowerment, and the complex emotional journey of motherhood. Through vivid self-portraits and vibrant landscapes of the Rio Grande Valley, Del Castillo reflects on her personal experiences, expressing the joys, challenges, and transformative process of becoming a mother.
Matrescence explores the ambivalence of motherhood—from the overwhelming emotional highs to the psychological struggles that accompany bringing new life into the world. Each piece in the exhibition display’s Del Castillo’s strength and vulnerability, inviting viewers, particularly new mothers, to engage with the uncomfortable realities and all too often unspoken obstacles of motherhood.
In Matrescence, Del Castillo explores themes of self-acceptance, mental health, and cultural and social expectations. The exhibition features all new works, including Mother’s Guilt, which considers the universal struggles of parenting and the process of embracing imperfection. Other candid works, like Dolor de Cabeza, explores Del Castillo’s personal battles with postpartum depression, addressing the relentless intrusive thoughts and new excessive concerns of motherhood.
This is Del Castillo’s second solo exhibition with Presa House Gallery and her first solo exhibition since the birth of her daughter. She has exhibited extensively throughout the Rio Grande Valley and has participated in group shows regionally, nationally, and internationally, including exhibitions in Lubbock, Austin, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Mexico.
Event Link: https://presahouse.com/portfolio/february-2025/
Contact: (210)913-5842 or info@presahouse.com
Matrescence, a term coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael and revived by Dr. Aurélie Athan, refers to the process of becoming a mother and emphasizes a developmental model that normalizes the psychological transitions women experience during this time.
During matrescence, new parents undergo profound changes across biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. Mothers face postpartum hormonal shifts while navigating their social identity and relationships, prompting introspection about their values and a sense of belonging.
