Through a hybrid media approach that combines paint with soft definitions of embroidered fibers, Daniela García Hamilton explores intergenerational bonds in tender narrative canvas. The artist, the first generation of Americans from a Mexican family, metaphorically connects loved ones through threads and combines symbols of Mexican and American geography with images of relatives drawn from photos.
“García Hamilton investigates traditional legacy, the necessity of assimilation and how family history is replayed over time,” a statement from Charlie James Gallery said, currently showing the artist’s solo exhibition, Amanecer/Atardecer (Sunrise/Sunset).
After her grandfather’s death, García Hamilton began to incorporate embroidery into her work, and her grandfather’s interest in textiles and storytelling became deeply influenced by the artist’s interest in the relationship between craftsmanship, bloodline and memory. The scenes range from memorable events like weddings to daily moments where people gather at home or gather in the back of a pickup truck.
García Hamilton’s symbolic description is derived from photographs from her family archives, which can be associated with. However, in the broader context of the American socio-political climate, especially the current government’s suspicious approach to curbing immigration, there is an undeniable sense of weakness and protection. We are invited to moments of nostalgia, tenderness, and even vulnerability, in which each individual personality emanates through what the gallery calls the “inner light”, emphasizing the meaning of unity, resilience and security.
Amanecer / Atardecer It lasts until August 2 in Los Angeles. Find more on the artist’s Instagram.
