Vanessa Lopez

My work unfolds through an installation process that engages in a dialogue between contemporary migration and a variety of media and techniques, including archaeological-scientific experimentation, local clay collection, drawing, and repetitive object making.

These installations are explorations of the concept of ‘transitional phenomena’. According to Donald Winnicott, the transitional space is a psychological area between an individual’s inner reality and the external world, where creativity and culture take form. In this space, through objects, rituals, and cultural practices, people can explore and negotiate their identities, traditions, and relationships, helping them adapt and find meaning in their environment.

From within this framework, I explore primary and emergent visions, conceived and developed from one’s original or native culture. I turn to primitive and historically significant materials, such as clay, earth, and stones, recognizing their importance throughout history and their role as anchors in the search for answers to universal uncertainties.

This connection between the material and the conceptual allows me to navigate the tension between intercultural identities and narratives, addressing their instability, complexity, and the potential for the loss of identity and language. By considering the hypothetical compatibility between different cultures, their traditions, and values, I create scenarios composed of recognizable objects and forms that float in fluid, adaptable spaces.

Through iteration, imitation, play, experimentation, and exchanges with others, I investigate how extreme shifts in context can alter our understanding, content, and perception of transitional spaces. The experiences that emerge from these intercultural interactions intertwine with the tangible nature of materials, reflecting a deep connection between cultural roots and the new horizons that unfold during the creative process.

In times of conflict and forced human migration, my aim is to present different methodologies as coping strategies that extend beyond my own migrant perspective. The repetitive making of objects, studio archaeology, rock observation, human gatherings, and conversations around clay are explored for their potential to support healing, repair, and understanding, fostering resilience against the complex challenges that arise from our passage through the world.