Artist Statement
Everything is White is an autobiographical performance that combines storytelling with paper puppetry. Developed by Almendra Vergara with the support of the Wunderbriefs community in 2023, the piece reflects on resilience, migration, and belonging.
The story is told through paper, a material both fragile and strong, able to bend and adapt—much like immigrants adapting to new circumstances. Its chromatic transitions symbolize the growth and maturity needed to survive in an environment so different from one’s roots and customs. Music by the Mexican artists Jose Trinidad Galvez and Pat Cuikani creates an atmosphere of nostalgia, uncertainty, and hope, reinforcing the emotional journey.
At its core, the performance follows an immigrant woman navigating the expectations and challenges of a new life. Inspired by Almendra’s first impressions of Calgary’s winter, it portrays the disorientation of unfamiliar cultures and the courage required to embrace fear while adapting to change.
As an immigrant and Mexican artist, Almendra explores themes of ethnicity, women’s migration experiences, identity, and belonging. Using collage and paper, she reflects on home, resilience, and the strength of immigrant women. Though delicate in appearance, paper can form strong structures—mirroring the perseverance required to rebuild life in a foreign country.
Her goal is to create a space for reflection and emotional connection, highlighting the creativity and resilience of women navigating migration. Through this work, she hopes to inspire immigrant women to share their own stories, build supportive communities, and foster empathy across cultures—encouraging a more inclusive and just society
Artist Biography
Almendra Vergara is a Mexican multidisciplinary artist based in Calgary, Alberta. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts and is deeply engaged with performing and visual arts, cultural promotion, and arts education. Her practice includes installation, scenic painting for theatre and opera, set design, puppetry, and performance.
Her work explores women’s experiences, immigration, human rights, and the cultural interplay between her Mexican heritage and Canadian society. She reflects on and interprets the multicultural immigrant narrative in Canada.
In 2023–2024, her collective received a CADA Project Grant for BE YOURSELF, FEEL FREE: Empowering Immigrant Women and Children, which offered art workshops and performances in non-profit venues. The project culminated in an exhibition at the Mexican Consulate in Calgary and the puppet show Everything is White at Alcove Arts Centre.
She also participated in the Festival of Animated Objects, presenting Everything is White at WUNDERBRIEFS and The Rabbit and the Moon at the Dolly Wiggler Cabaret. In summer 2023, she was artist-in-residence at Sparrow Art Space with Jessica Chiapa, facilitating diverse community engagements such as workshops, painting, and performances. In 2025, she joined Fuse33 Maker Space, exhibiting Stories Crafted in Art in partnership with Crescent Heights Mini-Galleries at Rotary Park.
Almendra is currently part of a Mexican curatorial group collaborating with the Glenbow Museum on an exhibition of pre-Hispanic cultures. Co-Founder of Mictlan Arts and Research collective of multidisciplinary artists and Mexican Women Artists collective.
Instagram: @almendra_vergara_art
Facebook: almendravart