Migration is at the core of ektor garcia’s practice. Frequently crossing the U.S.–Mexico border as a child with his family, and now with a studio practice that is itinerant, garcia considers labor and migration in the portable, meticulously woven sculptural installations he creates.
The artist incorporates several materials in these installations, weaving together things like copper wire, waxed thread, and horsehair with shells and glass to stunning effect as light catches the intricate, fine fibers and metals. Some pieces are architectural, resembling portals. Others dangle delicately from the ceiling. garcia blends craft and fine art, teaching himself techniques like crochet, researching Indigenous Mesoamerican objects, and learning from the people he encounters while traveling. The many traditions and legacies of craft he draws from lend an exploratory and communal aspect to garcia’s practice, which he uses to examine his personal life and collective concerns, including gender, colonialism, and queer culture.
garcia’s work was the subject of a 2022 solo show at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington. He was also included in the 2021–22 Prospect New Orleans triennial.
Annabel Keenan
