Leslie Hidalgo
39° 17′ 12.498” N 76° 48′ 26.748” W
Exhibited in Warriors: From Survival to Creation
Leslie Hidalgo is a multidisciplinary artist whose work evokes beauty from afar, only to reveal layered, often unsettling narratives upon closer inspection. Her practice explores the intersections of physical disability, military service, and mental health, using materials such as ceramics, crepe paper, and fabric to convey themes of resilience and transformation. Botanical motifs intertwine with clinical and anatomical imagery, creating a visual tension between the natural and the medical.
A central element in Hidalgo’s recent work is medical gauze dipped in ceramic slip and draped over sculptural forms—most notably dome-shaped headpieces. This technique reflects her personal history of enduring two neurosurgeries and speaks to the complexity of healing and survival. The gauze becomes a tactile symbol of the delicate balance between vulnerability and strength.
Much of Hidalgo’s practice is rooted in a conceptual framework she calls The Adorable War, developed over the past decade. This metaphor challenges traditional narratives around combat and non-combat veterans and stems from her experience of surviving an unreported military sexual assault. Through whimsical, fairytale-like imagery, she navigates the realities of PTSD and the coping mechanisms that accompany it. Her soft color palette—pastel pinks, blues, and yellows—creates a sense of joy that, when paired with darker themes, underscores the emotional complexity of trauma and resilience.
For Hidalgo, art is not only a mode of expression but a lifeline. As a ceramicist and sculptor, the tactile process of working with clay offers therapeutic relief from chronic joint pain and helps interrupt cycles of depression. Her creative practice allows her to process deeply personal experiences, many of which remain unspoken, and to find healing through making. Art is her therapy, her resistance, and her peace.
