MACARENA YÁÑEZ - SOBRE HILOS

The works of Macarena Yáñez, Macay, born in Santiago de Chile in 1982, are a living testimony of the connection between humans and nature, a reflection on our role in the ecosystem and a celebration of memory through fragments of fabric. Trained at the University of Chile (BFA) and at Central Saint Martins - University of the Arts London (MA), Macay moves between paste-up, painting, collage and textiles, finding in the latter an intimate and powerful language.

Her creative process unfolds slowly, over weeks, at different times of the year and in different spaces. Sitting with a needle and thread, Macay gives new life to recycled fabrics: scraps of her own clothing, those of friends and family, fragments that once dressed bodies and now become visual narratives. Fabrics that, stained or torn, ceased to fulfill their original function as clothing and find a new purpose: to reflect through art on nature and humanity. This reuse is not only a sustainable act, but also a poetic gesture that rescues the history contained in each fiber.

Macay's textile collage is built layer by layer, like a garden that blooms over time. Each print, each texture, holds a story that intertwines with the others, creating a tapestry of collective and individual memories. Nature is the primary source of her inspiration: plants, flowers, birds and animals populate her works, evoking our deep connection with the earth. Through these images, Macay explores the role of the human being with the natural world, the intrinsic need for contact with plants and the irony and humor that often accompany this relationship.

The transition from muralism to textiles was a gradual process for Macay, a search for greater freedom and flexibility. Textiles allow her to work at any time and place, without major technical requirements, taking her portable workshop with her. This portability translates into an intimacy with the material, in a constant dialogue between the artist, the fabrics and the stories they contain.

Her works are small vegetal paradises, microcosms that claim a space for nature in the urban environment. Macay does not seek to represent the flora and fauna of a place per se, but rather to capture its essence, inviting us to reconnect with the natural world around us. Her creations, imbued with irony and playfulness, invite us to reflect on our relationship with nature in a fresh and original way, reminding us that, even in the city, we can find small oasis of life.

Alicia Urrea Carvallo

Cultural Manager and Visual Artist