Animal de mi Tiempo: Armadillo (2002) is a captivating piece by Cecilia Paredes that deepens her exploration of camouflage, transformation and identity. In this work, Paredes uses her signature technique of blending her painted body with a patterned background, yet here she channels the texture and form of an armadillo—a creature known for its protective armor and ability to curl into itself when threatened. By embodying the armadillo, Paredes examines themes of self-protection, adaptability and resilience, reflecting her own experiences of navigating cultural displacement and belonging.

In Armadillo, Paredes’s intricate body paint and careful positioning evoke the creature’s iconic armor, transforming her figure into a symbol of strength and survival. The work creates a visual dialogue about the boundaries between human and nature, self and environment.

Through this transformation, Paredes reflects on her work how we protect and adapt our identities in response to external pressures, resonating with broader themes of cultural identity, self-preservation and metamorphosis.