Ileana Magoda

Born with Occult Spinal Dysraphism, Ileana Magoda has carried the burden of chronic pain since childhood. She grew up in the projects of Mexico City’s periferia, where artistic practice is scarce. Despite this, she was always fascinated by the arts and has been drawing obsessively since she was a child. Not being able to enroll in art school for economic reasons, Ileana studied Graphic Design at University of México (UNAM) instead. 

After her studies, Ileana worked as an art director in advertising agencies for more than a decade, while DJing on the side. In 2020, due to health complications related to her spinal defect, Ileana gave up on graphic design and decided to dedicate her life to painting, a passion which helped her greatly in coping with her health condition, on top of giving her a renewed purpose in life.

Magoda's paintings became her own sanctuary—a refuge where the raw emotions of pain find a transformative space. The canvas becomes a sacred ground where the fragility of her body is not only acknowledged but also transformed into a source of strength and resilience.