▁by ▁using ▁a ▁par ado x ▁of ▁contradict ions ▁of ▁ideal ism . ▁In ▁her ▁art , ▁she ▁express es ▁deep ▁feelings ▁of ▁loss ▁and ▁m our ning ▁that ▁are ▁associated ▁with ▁choices ▁of ▁her ▁family , ▁friends , ▁and ▁her ▁partner ▁in ▁life . ▁She ▁expl ores ▁the ▁tra uma ▁that ▁came ▁with ▁the ▁break ▁of ▁all ▁of ▁these ▁t ies ▁and ▁the ▁consequ ent ▁feelings ▁of ▁l onel iness ▁and ▁hop eless ness ▁that ▁en su ed . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁she ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁the ▁visual ▁expression ▁of ▁her ▁relationship ▁to ▁Cuba ' s ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁real ities , ▁especially ▁those ▁that ▁relate ▁to ▁the ▁Cub an ▁di as por a . ▁Through out ▁her ▁body ▁of ▁work , ▁the ▁artist ▁uses ▁familiar ▁characters ▁from ▁literature , ▁history , ▁and ▁fol kl ore ▁that ▁not ▁only ▁creates ▁context ▁for ▁her ▁work , ▁but ▁also ▁voices ▁her ▁political ▁or ▁social ▁opinions . ▁ ▁One ▁common ▁mot if ▁in ▁her ▁work ▁is ▁using ▁a ▁character ▁named ▁Ari ad ne . ▁The ▁artist ▁presents ▁Ari ad ne ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁girl ▁whose ▁vis age ▁seems ▁innoc ent , ▁gu ilt less , ▁and ▁una ware ▁of ▁life ' s ▁strugg les . ▁The ▁character ' s ▁face ▁is ▁a ▁self - port rait ▁of ▁the ▁artist ▁that ▁is ▁util ized ▁in ▁a ▁sur real ▁context ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁protagon ist ▁from ▁Alice ▁in ▁Wonder land . ▁ ▁The ▁artist ▁appropri ates ▁this ▁fict ional ▁context ▁to ▁make ▁comment ary