De Raíz emerged from Catalina Ruiz’s journey to Japan in March 2023, evolving into far more than a body of work inspired by travel. The series became an introspective passage—an opportunity to reflect on years of searching, growth, and dedication to her practice. Grounded in gratitude, Ruiz turned inward, considering the unseen foundations that sustain both artistic and personal becoming. Inspired by Francisco Luis Bernárdez’s verse, “what the tree has in bloom lives off what it has buried,” Ruiz found a poetic framework for the work. Trees populate her canvases as singular, expressive forms—each imagined with its own roots, history, and quiet strength. Through them, she reflects on what lies beneath the surface: the buried experiences that nourish growth, the hidden paths that shape identity, and the enduring force that allows each life to bloom.
