Lina Puerta

Untitled, from the Botánico Series, 2017
45”H. x 50” W (Base) Overall: 81”H x 60” . x 24D. (Installation Variable)
Polyurethane, wood, paint, sequined and textured fabrics; lace, rhinestones, beads, chains, artificial plants and moss; fake fur and fringe.

Name: Lina Puerta
IG: @linapuertaart

Current Location: NYC

Country of Origin: USA/Colombia

What inspired you to begin creating art? Seeing Art and being deeply moved by it.

To what degree does your cultural background/heritage influence your work?
For a long time I resisted the idea that my cultural background had any influence in my work, especially as art that is not made by white artists tends to be exoticized. But, with time, I’ve realized my background and upbringing, as with any person, is part of who I am and therefore it is very present in the work, sometimes unintentionally.

Untitled (Turquoise/Tapestries Series), 2016,
49″ x 38″
Handmade Paper composed of pigmented cotton, linen and abaca pulp; embedded with lace, sequined fabrics, velvet ribbon, fake fur, feathers, appliqués, chains and found insect wings.

What draws you to create with a medium in particular?
The medium is very often what guides me. I work with materials that I like, I’m attracted to or find interesting. It can be anything from a gorgeous textile I picked up at a market, a crochet flower made by my mother to an ordinary object salvaged from trash on the street.

How does the medium help to depict your ideas?
I usually start with a general, vague idea and as I combine materials, the materials themselves show me the way. It is a lot of trying out of different material combinations and then paying close attention to what happens, until I find what works.

Untitled (Basket and Watches), 2014
14”H. x 11”W. x 3”D (36 x 28 x 7.5 cm)
Basket, Polyurethane foam, concrete, fabric, faux fur, beads, watches, chains, beads, artificial moss, Swarovski crystals and flocking.

Why do you use the colors/forms/shapes/textures/patterns that you do?
Because I love them! I like to work with textures and colors that I love, find interesting and make me happy. I also employ textures and materials associated with body adornment, joy and celebration, such as sequined fabrics, metallics, jewelry, rhinestones, feathers, beads, etc.

Alto, 2012 23” H x 22” W x .6D Polyurethane and Polystyrene foam; concrete, wood, glass mosaic, paint, fabric, fiberfill, rhinestones, notions, beads, artificial plants and moss.

Who/ what do you draw inspiration from creatively? Whether it is musical, visual, literary, religious, etc sources?
I draw inspiration mainly from Nature, but also from many different contemporary artists such as, Kiki Smith, Olga de Amaral, Rina Banarjee, Marisol, Doris Salcedo as well as, artist friends such as Elena Herzog, Rachelle Mozman and Esperanza Cortes. In the past year, I’ve become increasingly interested in anti-colonialist, indigenous philosophy and their ways of relating to nature and the world around us, through for instance, the writings of Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Crop Laborer- Green, 2018 29” H x 20” W Handmade paper composed of pigmented cotton, linen, and abaca pulp; embedded and finished with sequined fabrics, lace and gouache.

What do you do to pull yourself out of a creative block?
I would say I try to avoid creative blocks by keeping a work routine. If I take a long break from working in the studio, which sometimes happens, I find it’s easy to get stuck and creatively blocked. One strategy that works for me is to work on several works at the same time, so you always have something unfinished to get back to, after a long work interruption.

What is the desired effect that you hope for your art to have on its viewers?
I hope for the work to bring joy and wonderment to the viewer, while also bringing awareness to social and environmental issues that we may not like or want to confront.