Chantal Lesley is a multicultural, first-generation American born and raised in Brownsville, TX, located along the U.S./Mexico border. Being the daughter of immigrants from both Germany and Peru has brought upon a feeling of being stretched between four cultures and has led her to confront ideas that focus on identity and contemporary social and political issues in her work. Her work is self-reflective, often portraying themes of the intangible such as memory, dreams, and the retelling of autobiographical stories. Lesley acquired her BFA in Fine Art Photography from Texas State University in 2021. Her work has been exhibited throughout Texas and the US. Selected shows include Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX; Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX; Touchstone Gallery, Washington D.C; and Humble Arts Foundation, New York City, NY. In 2021 she was noted as an Honorable Mention for the Lenscratch Student Prize Award, and in 2022, was an artist in residence at LATITUDE in Chicago, IL and exhibited her first solo show titled En Medio de la Nostalgia. Lesley lives and works in Austin, Texas.

Lesley’s work is driven by a demand to be seen and understood while uncovering the layers of her identity as part of four different cultures: Peruvian, German, American, and Mexican. Being a part of multiple cultures has forced her to navigate the process of assimilating into each culture simultaneously, leading often to feelings of alienation. In response, she creates tangible objects that explore her past experiences, allowing her to connect with and challenge viewers. She creates a visual narrative that reflects the loss of ethnic roots and explores the isolation and confusion felt from multiple cultures, a metaphor for the in-between– discovering a mental space that she has constructed while delving into her personal and familial past. Self-Portraiture allows a form of empowerment and relying on symbolism connects her with her audience in a universal way to challenge the viewer to consider their preconceptions of women of color. Lesley’s work is a way to turn the colonial gaze upon itself and regain her power and agency.

When You’ve Stopped Staring At The Sun is a telling of the cyclical and layered process of grieving for the living, processing generational trauma, and being involved in narcissistic and codependent relationships. Based on a series of personal experiences, this piece seeks to portray the internal and external struggles one faces on the way to reclaiming a self lost to abuse.