Polly Apfelbaum (b. 1955, United States)
Wimple, 2009
Marker on synthetic velvet
Polly Apfelbaum (b. 1955, United States)
Sun Target Drawings, 2018
Gouache on paper
Polly Apfelbaum (b. 1955, United States)
Wimple, 2009
Marker on synthetic velvet
Polly Apfelbaum (b. 1955, United States)
Sun Target Drawings, 2018
Gouache on paper
Leonor Antunes (b. 1972, Portugal)
random intersections # 10, 2013
Leather and brass hardware
Ghada Amer (b. 1963, Egypt)
Portrait of Kamila, 2020
Acrylic, embroidery, and gel medium on canvas
Candida Alvarez (b. 1955, United States)
Between Two Things, from Air Paintings, 2017–19
Latex ink, acrylic, and collage on PVC mesh with aluminum and wood
(back side)
Avril, 2017
Wool tapestry
Etel Adnan (b. 1925, Lebanon; d. 2021, France)
Untitled, 2014
Oil on canvas
Etel Adnan (b. 1925, Lebanon; d. 2021, France)
Planète, 2020
Oil on canvas
Igshaan Adams (b. 1982, South Africa)
Akbar, 2017
Nylon rope, cotton thread, and beads
The title of Igshaan Adams’ Akbar is an Arabic male name, a reference that addresses the South African artist’s Muslim faith. A queer artist who was born of a Muslim father and raised by his Christian grandmother, Adam’s elaborate textiles address the diverse cultural and spiritual contexts that continue to form his identity. The artist has embraced Islamic spirituality and particularly Sufism, and his works might be read as enlarged prayer rugs. This is particularly felt with the second piece in this gallery, titled Theshold II, whose symmetrically woven forms recall the floral patterning of Islamic carpets and their references to a garden paradise. The large central opening in this beaded piece, combined with its title speak to intersections between material and spiritual realms.
Magdalena Abakanowicz (b. 1930, Poland; d. 2017, Poland)
Untitled, 1977
Jute and resin on board
Fabric, figure, and landscape merge in this work by Magdalena Abakanowicz. Initially recognized for her innovative abstract works in fiber and textiles, which she produced at a massive scale during the 1960s, figurative references enter her practice in the 1970s. From 1976-80 she produced Backs, which consists of eighty individual sculptures of the human torso. The 1977 untitled work in this section of the exhibition was produced during this same period and presents the imprint of a headless human back, made from coarse jute sackcloth and molded into place using synthetic resins. The inherent roughness of the natural fiber creates the uncomfortably uneven surface in this piece, with wrinkles and bunches evident throughout. On the foregrounded body, these textures look like the wrinkles of aged skin or scars, while the background areas recall mountains, ravines, or the bark of a tree, adding references to organic matter. The artist has described how “we are all fibrous structures,” and her use of this material here poetically creates connections between the human body and the earth, addressing the wear and suffering both have undergone throughout history.
On April 26, 2024, El Espacio 23 hosted an Open Studio for the artists in residency, Andre Acevedo and Alice Wagner.
The artists showcased to the public the work they had been developing throughout their time at El Espacio 23.
On May 17th, 2024, El Espacio 23 hosted an open studio with three artists in residency: Belen Rodriguez, Irene Infantes, and Pepe Lopez.
Artist Talk: With EE23 Artist in Residency, Pepe López in collaboration with DotFiftyone Gallery, in conversation with Veronica Flom, Director of Fundacion Ama Amoedo
Pepe López sat down with Veronica Flom, Director of Fundacion Ama Amoedo to discuss his recent work here at El Espacio.
He discussed how his current work coincided with El Espacio’s current exhibition “To Weave the Sky” and how it influenced his process.
Throughout his time in residency, he has been working on his series Guapísimas, which he has been developing for the past 20 years. López further discussed his work and presented parts of a film he had recorded 20 years ago, that influenced his work.
