Meli Bandera

Origin: South Bend, Indiana
Birth Year: 1996

 Meli Bandera’s work is a testament to their unique cultural identity, navigating the intersection of Mexican heritage and American upbringing. They explore the evolving dynamics of family legacy and complexities of culture formation through traditional and contemporary tejidos. 

The significance of family names—Puente (bridge), Palomo (dove), and Bandera (flag)—weaves a narrative of migration and identity.

Bandera finds solace and continuity under the symbolic wings of Mexico in the Midwest. 

As they reflect on the textile rituals of their grandmother, Bandera ponders the transformative impact of place, movement, cultural reshaping, and the tangible remnants we carry across borders.
 
¡Ya nos vamos! We are going to mom and dad's house
May you be clothed by these gifts fully 
“Virgen María, gracias por bendecir a mi familia para que podamos estar juntos y gracias a mis antepasados, me alegro de que estemos unos otros.”
Ofrenda para el viaje (night)