Craft Contemporary's Clay Biennial 'tierra' Explores Earth, Memory, and Migration Through 14 Artists
Craft Contemporary's latest exhibition, 'tierra,' marks the fourth installment of its Clay Biennial and is designed with expanded themes. Open until October 25 in Los Angeles, the showcase features fourteen artists curated by Andres Payan Estrada alongside Frida Cano, Joel Garcia, Mercedes Dorame, and Cannupa Hanska Luger. The display incorporates diverse materials such as clay, soil, and sound, with walls painted in terra cotta hues. Notably, Karla García's pieces, originating from her past exhibitions, utilize recycled clay. Following its Los Angeles run, 'tierra' will travel to the University of Texas at El Paso’s Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center in 2027.
Key facts
- 'tierra' is the fourth installment of Craft Contemporary's Clay Biennial, reimagined with wider parameters.
- The exhibition features fourteen artists and runs through October 25 at Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles.
- Curated by Andres Payan Estrada with a committee including Frida Cano, Joel Garcia, Mercedes Dorame, and Cannupa Hanska Luger.
- Materials include clay, adobe, soil, sand, rock, photographs, paper, yucca fibers, writing, and sound.
- Karla García's works were originally shown in her 2025 exhibition 'Grass Flower' at the now-closed Lora Reynolds Gallery in Austin.
- García's pieces use recycled clay from her 2020 'Home and Land Project' and her 2022 'La Línea Imaginaria' project.
- The exhibition will travel to the Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts at the University of Texas at El Paso in 2027.
- Gallery walls are painted with terra cotta and red iron oxide pigments; labels use recycled paper dyed with Los Angeles soil.
Entities
Artists
- Karla García
- Andres Payan Estrada
- Frida Cano
- Joel Garcia
- Mercedes Dorame
- Cannupa Hanska Luger
- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
- Malīnalxōchitl
- Marc Walker
Institutions
- Craft Contemporary
- University of Texas at El Paso
- Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center
- Lora Reynolds Gallery
- Glasstire
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Ciudad Juárez
- Mexico
- El Paso
- Texas
- Austin
- Samalyuca desert
- California