Mariana Sarmiento Cardalda

My work is an ongoing dialogue between the material and the metaphysical—between what is held in the body and what is buried beneath it. Through traditional textile techniques like crochet, knitting, weaving, and metalwork, I create sculptures, installations, and objects that explore mortality, transformation, and the inheritances we carry—both tangible and intangible.

I am drawn to materials that hold presence: fibers, metals, ceramics, wood, and found elements that speak through their texture and history. I approach each piece through an intuitive, hands-on process. My hands are in constant motion—almost compulsively so. Creation is what settles me. The act of making becomes a quiet space for reflection, where memory, form, and emotion converge.

Formally, my work often embraces fragmentation, layered construction, and shifting states—suggesting cycles of breaking down and reconfiguring. These gestures become ways of thinking through grief, memory, and speculative rebirth.

My practice is shaped by an interest in history, anthropology, and ancestral knowledge systems. I do not separate craft from concept; each knot, stitch, and structure is a means of asking and holding questions. My work is a commitment to making, remembering, and remaining.