Árbol Que Nace Torcido Su Tronco Jamás Endereza (2024) features Marisol Ascensio as the subject and powerful embodiment of resistance to generational cycles. This dicho translates to, “A tree that is born crooked will never straighten its trunk,” and conveys the belief that the habits or characteristics acquired in childhood are difficult, if not impossible to change in adulthood. It reflects a culturally accepted idea that people are bound by their upbringing, particularly when that upbringing involves hardship, dysfunction, or trauma. This work directly challenges that notion, offering a visual narrative of transformation, strength, and personal agency.

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In the first image, Marisol is seen leaning into a crooked tree, visually and metaphorically becoming one with it. Her body mimics the bend of the trunk, illustrating how deeply we are shaped by the environments in which we grow. The image evokes the weight of inherited struggle suggesting how, for many, being raised in a difficult home or community can feel inescapable. Yet even in this moment of closeness, there is a quiet resistance in Marisol’s posture: she is not defeated by her roots, but still standing.

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In the second photograph, Marisol begins to lean forward and away from the tree. This shift in movement represents her decision to move beyond the path that was seemingly carved out for her. Her body language speaks of forward momentum, determination, and self liberation. Though she came from an environment marked by struggle, she chose not to be defined by it. Instead, she built a new path, working hard for her goals and breaking away from the expectations or limitations set by her surroundings.

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Through Marisol’s presence and story, this artwork becomes a counter-narrative to the fatalism implied by the dicho. It invites viewers especially young women, to reject the belief that they are destined to repeat the circumstances they were born into. Marisol stands as a living testament that growth, change, and healing are possible. Her journey reminds us that we are not bound by the shape of the tree we grew next to we have the power to bend in new directions and to break generational cycles.

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