An Eclectic Legacy, 2024, Assorted found materials, ceramics, and powder coated steel, 78” x 35” x 17”
GINA HERRERA
Artist Statement
As an artist of Native American (Tesuque Pueblo) and Costa Rican heritage, I embark on a spiritual journey of self-knowledge and reflection on the planet’s uncertain future. Through my art, I utilize natural materials and organic forms, such as branches, rocks, cocoons, and nests, as a juxtaposition to industrialization and envi- ronmental damage, symbolizing the somatic process of creation. Drawing from my experiences during my 25 years in the Armed Forces, where I witnessed the long-term effects of conflict and war, including the large-scale abandonment of ruined machinery by the military, I question my own practices and environmental impact.
My artistic practice is deeply informed by my passion for environmental justice and involves spiritual and aesthetic rituals to honor Mother Earth. I engineer unexpected assemblages using metals and found materials, repurposing salvaged materials like plastics, fabrics, jewelry, domestic tools, bottle caps, and military insignia. The resulting sculptures are human-like yet mysterious and fluid, reminiscent of calligraphy or hieroglyphics. Dark humor and violent beauty are juxtaposed with a post-apocalyptic industrial energy through techniques such as welding, powder-coating, and plasma cutting.
Like a scavenger, I play an active role in removing garbage from the landscape, preventing further damage. My artistic process is intuitive, letting the forms reveal themselves. Through my art, I aim to awaken individual and societal consciousness, examining and healing our relationship with Mother Earth.