“Articulating the depth of beauty and care one can experience in this world - through art, with community, and in contributing positively to society - is what I focus on creating in this life.”
ART
Art is magic, art is power, art creates space and language for that which lacks representation through conventional terms.
My name is Andrea and I use art as a channel to advocate for humanity.
Growing up as a Mexican-Austrian American, I have built my life as an artist and single mother through a spectrum of adversity, hope and determination.
Cultivating resilience, intuition, integrity and optimism - I proactively assemble a tender language of art that creates space for human nature to be held, seen, heard.
I spend a lot of time reflecting on ways I can transform systemic challenges into regenerative processes. Which in turn produces the language of art I use to speak to and with the world.
In my studio, you will see a lot of writing, testing, references and drafts for a piece as I work through different iterations. You can see what this process is like in these images.
The best part of artmaking is failure, it creates an unsettling state, a labyrinth to try different ways of thinking, changing materials, scale, and so on.
This process brings awareness and sensitivity in ways I could not live without. They guide me in bringing a work to life, and I welcome this challenge with the greatest appreciation.
As human, I am most affected by captivating, brutal or dismantling experiences of beauty, truth, connection. These encounters function as access points for a kind of internal freedom that is hard to put into words.
But is one I know I need more of to evolve in this place we call earth, which please don’t forget is a place made possible by stars, sun and moon, and through fire, water, seeds and soil.
It is this possibility of freedom that I strive to create through art and share with the world.
In speaking this very special language called art, my work takes form through interdisciplinary mediums, including public works, installation, large-scale video projection, performance, collaborative works, sculpture and photography.
PERSONAL HISTORY
Invested in developing cultural ecosystems for the greater good of humanity, my work is highly intentional and politically driven by my personal and social history.
Born to a Mexican mother and Austrian father, I was raised in a multicultural household within the California landscape, where as an adult I received a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in the Arts.
Growing up, my mother was often subjected to racism, and as her children, we were raised culturally Mexican but viewed as white because we were mixed and had lighter skin. On many occasions, people assumed she was our “nanny” and was called racial slurs by neighbors or while traveling throughout the states. (My Mexican and Austrian grandparents pictured above).
When we spent time at my mother’s childhood home in the Mexican neighborhood Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, people would stop and stare at us, curious about what we were doing there. Slang words to describe my siblings and me as white Mexicans were used frequently by family and random strangers.
With my father, we weren’t identified as his children either, he had blonde hair, blue eyes and a thick accent, and we were light brown all around speaking with an American accent. Sometimes I thought perhaps I was adopted. (My daughter and niece above in traditional Mexican Ballet Folklorico costumes for a cultural dance performance).
COMMUNITY WORK
It brings me great joy to break down institutional barriers and build opportunities for current and future generations.
Passionate about advancing a culturally equitable future, I have focused on creating visibility for artist minority groups, working with over 100 artists spanning 25 nationalities within the US and Europe.
Through the development of exhibitions, performances and arts experiences, it is deeply meaningful for me to support fellow artists and make art accessible to broader socioeconomic groups. (View a selection of works here).
My work supports people of color, mixed race, immigrants, indigenous peoples, 1st generation descendants of immigrants or indigenous peoples, economically exploited groups, female-identifying, LGBTQ and disabled peoples.
Get in touch to collaborate on a project here, I am happy to develop, advise or share my knowledge of the arts - let’s change the future together!
ARTS PROFESSION
Supporting my cultural philosophy and community initiatives, I have 16 years of experience as an arts professional, including collection building, arts management, and as a director of operations.
I am extremely grateful for a compelling and enriching adventure working with collectors, philanthropists, museums, artists, galleries, publishers and auction houses.
Working between New York, Los Angeles and Europe, my scope of work has encompassed invigorating, life-changing experiences - constantly challenging me to evolve my understanding of art.
I am most proud of supporting philanthropic gifting initiatives to MoMA New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, LACMA Los Angeles, the J. Paul Getty Museum Los Angeles, the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.
CURRENT WORK
In this next chapter of my art practice, I am pleased to share with you the public community work, Women of the Forest.
Blending the regenerative powers of nature and community, my goal is to create a constellation of site-specific performances, conversations, experiences, ceremonies, herbalism and education for a deeper exploration within and through the experience of life.
We are a collectively developed eco-system of artists, educators, herbalists, philosophers, writers and more - here to serve and empower our communities.
Follow our journey here and get in touch if you would like to join us here!
xoxo, andrea huber gutierrez
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