Yanira Collado at The Moss Arts Center

In the face of inevitable change and displacement, memories find a home in the relic. Yanira Collado explores the ideas of migration, reliquary, and memory through construction and ritual.

Collado’s work ranges in size from the smallest snail shell to full-room installations. Maintaining an unfinished, rough aesthetic, her work often features raw edges, jagged fragmentations, and uneven textile scraps. The hand of the artist is evident in every aspect of the construction of Collado’s work, bringing further attention to the labor with which these objects were produced. Brightly colored fabrics contrast with neutral-toned building materials to lead the eye of the viewer throughout these pieces. Painted shapes and patterns provide sites of ritual critical to Collado’s reconstruction of memory and tradition.

While many of Collado’s works are wall sculptures, she also creates free-standing works and textiles. Some of her works are reminiscent of quilts and take inspiration from the American quilting movement through the use repeated symbols. Preferring to leave discussion to the viewer, Collado leaves her process open-ended and takes a spiritual approach to her artistic practice.