Work in Progress Portrait of Aslemarie Torres Camacho by Oscar Vance

From Aslemarie’s mother Virginia Camacho: Aslemarie Torres-Camacho, born on July 6th 1998, taken from this world July 12, 2017 at 12:08am six days after my 19th birthday, 2 days after my mother’s birthday. I can say I lived a very, joyful life even though I did not live long enough to experience everything, I wanted to experience, for example study criminal justice, getting married, having kids, and most of all I wanted to die an old lady with long white hair, watch everyone I love enjoy their life, be there for every happy moment every sad moment, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, Easter, Valentines, etc. Even though I can not be there to do all of those things, even though I am not there physically I will always be there for my family, watching them grow, I will be there during their sad moments their happy, most exciting moments, every holiday, I will always be there even when they don’t know it. Now I will tell you everything I have accomplished with my time here on earth; I graduated Frankford High School June 2016, I got a job doing something I’ve always loved, working with animals. I was the “F” in fun, I can make anyone laugh no matter how mad or sad they were.

From the curator: As with many of our portraits, the depiction of Aslemarie in her graduation mortarboard pointedly reminds us of the promise that lay ahead of her and so many other young victims. Oscar has used a joyful palette for this young woman who was the “F” in fun.

Work in Progress Portrait of Aslemarie Torres Camacho by Oscar Vance 2018