From ABC7 New York · · 1m 10s
Kandy Lopez's Yarn Portraits Challenge Viewers
Kandy Lopez's large-scale yarn portraits at ACA Galleries invite viewers to see people of color in new ways.
In brief
Kandy Lopez's large-scale yarn portraits at ACA Galleries invite viewers to see people of color in new ways. Kandy Lopez's exhibition Taking Up Space features oversized yarn portraits that challenge viewers to see people of color through a new lens. Originally reported by ABC7 New York.
Kandy Lopez's New Exhibit
Kandy Lopez's solo exhibition Taking Up Space opens at ACA Galleries in Chelsea, featuring large-scale fiber portraits that challenge viewers to see their subjects differently.
“I want you to be in a room where all the subjects are staring at you”
Yarn Portraits Reveal Details
Close-up reveals yarn on hook rug mesh creating portraits that appear as paintings from a distance.
“I think the shape of the eyes is a perfect guide to moving down and across the face, so if the eye shape is not correct, it's not going to look like the person”
Lopez's Painting Background
Lopez learned to paint in middle school using watercolors, an experience that later influenced her current artistic practice.
“It was a way of teaching us a way to see light and how to see texture and reflection”
Oversized Portraits for Impact
The portraits depict real people of color with 'swag' or something magical about them and are intentionally oversized up to 14 feet.
“You go to Europe and see these beautiful paintings in churches, and they are massive, and as a visitor you're looking up at it, and that's what I want for people of color”
Lopez's Personal Reflections
Lopez, a mother of two and associate professor of Art and Design in Florida, described the success of her work as a 'pinch-me moment' and very thankful.
“It's been a pinch-me moment, so I think a lot about being blessed, ancestral energy, very, very thankful”
Donated Yarn for New Life
Lopez incorporates donated yarn, including family heirlooms, into her artwork, giving the yarn a new life.
“I'll get like grandma's or great-grandma's yarn, so I have given this yarn a new life”
The essence
Kandy Lopez's exhibition Taking Up Space features oversized yarn portraits that challenge viewers to see people of color through a new lens.
