MinerAlert
MinerAlert
Haydee Alonso’s practice is rooted in contemporary jewelry, metalsmithing, video, and performance. Her works are frequently interactive and relate to the United States/Mexico borderland as a lived experience. Her recent work is influenced by her endeavors at the Ciudad Juárez-based art space San Luis Contemporáneo and the behind-the-scenes labor of artists, art handlers, preparators, curators, and gallery staff. Alonso’s artistic production for this exhibition presents an experimental departure from her previous line of work as she leans into a greater abstraction of metals and veers off from her usual inclusion of the body, focusing instead on its physical absence.
Alonso’s work is characterized by her minimalist style and emphasis on conceptual expression. Here, she presents a white paper accordion composed of sheets with various textures and a series of simple paper works marked by subtle folds, cuts, and creases. She explores how small acts of touch and tension (i.e folding, cutting, pressing) can transform something visually imperceptible into a discernable image. The tactile details of the works are simultaneously revealed and concealed to the audience as they are difficult to see from a straightforward view. The viewer is obliged to bend down and position themselves at various angles to see the full scope of the work. Through these actions, the spectator unconsciously becomes a part of the piece as their body positioning demands a conscious physical and intellectual presence in front of the largely absent composition. The viewer’s constant movement is conceptually likened to the daily migration of local border commuters and international immigrants. In addition, the limited view of the piece alludes to the limited access created by the physical barriers of the border. By exploring the relationship between invisibility and perception, Alonso reimagines “la frontera” as a living, liminal space that exists in a state of constant change and resistance.
BFA (metals and sculpture), The University of Texas at El Paso
MFA (jewelry and metals), Royal College of Art (UK)
Haydee Alonso’s practice is rooted in contemporary jewelry, metalsmithing, video, and performance. Her works are frequently interactive and relate to the United States/Mexico borderland as a lived experience. Her recent work is influenced by her endeavors at the Ciudad Juárez-based art space San Luis Contemporáneo and the behind-the-scenes labor of artists, art handlers, preparators, curators, and gallery staff. Alonso’s artistic production for this exhibition presents an experimental departure from her previous line of work as she leans into a greater abstraction of metals and veers off from her usual inclusion of the body, focusing instead on its physical absence.
Alonso’s work is characterized by her minimalist style and emphasis on conceptual expression. Here, she presents a white paper accordion composed of sheets with various textures and a series of simple paper works marked by subtle folds, cuts, and creases. She explores how small acts of touch and tension (i.e folding, cutting, pressing) can transform something visually imperceptible into a discernable image. The tactile details of the works are simultaneously revealed and concealed to the audience as they are difficult to see from a straightforward view. The viewer is obliged to bend down and position themselves at various angles to see the full scope of the work. Through these actions, the spectator unconsciously becomes a part of the piece as their body positioning demands a conscious physical and intellectual presence in front of the largely absent composition. The viewer’s constant movement is conceptually likened to the daily migration of local border commuters and international immigrants. In addition, the limited view of the piece alludes to the limited access created by the physical barriers of the border. By exploring the relationship between invisibility and perception, Alonso reimagines “la frontera” as a living, liminal space that exists in a state of constant change and resistance.