Zonia Zena

It’s been over four years documenting a part of my family. I’ve focused my interest on my twin nieces and nephew, who live in the countryside of Peru. Their interaction with their surroundings and how each on their own is building their character, made me reflect on how a place can bring such a unique experience in our lives. Hold onto These Days was born from that reflection, which has been evolving and coinciding with forgotten personal memories and feelings of my own. Somehow this exploration has turned into an encounter between our worlds, connecting through my own memories and their discoveries taking nature as a point where we can meet and continue to build on this experience of selfless collaboration.

Zonia Zena is a photo based artist born in Peru and based between Miami Florida and Lima Peru. Graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts from University of Florida. Currently a graduate student at University of Alabama MLIS program in Study of Archives. A member of Women Photograph and The Journal Collective, Zonia applies photography as a bridge to speak about the concept of the family, close relationships, migrating and a sense of nostalgia. Those are topics she usually intertwines as she has lived in different places and a lack of belonging always turns up. A Fulbright recipient in Spain. Her visual narrative is reflected from the biographical experience and her curiosity to explore those themes.