The dynamics of particular spaces and neighbourhoods act as key catalysts for Carmen Argote’s practice. Working in specific localities over extended periods of time, Argote patiently observes the spatial and personal currents of an environment, waiting for its essence and nuances to emerge before beginning any new project. Moving fluidly between drawing, painting, sculpture and moving images, Argote shifts the methods she uses with each project to best encapsulate the site she is examining. She’s also incredibly sensitive to materials, thinking carefully about the historical and social conditions of paint dyes and fabrics when crafting her pieces. Fragments of the domestic can frequently be found in her sculptures, reconfigured on an architectural scale, with handsewn pockets draping 2 or 3 metres high like buildings or scarves and umbrellas rearranged like highways. This dissonance between public and private realms draws on the longing for a sense of home Argote experiences as an immigrant living in Los Angeles. Echoing the bodily tone of artists such as Ana Mendieta’s sculptures, there’s a real physicality to Argote’s works as they crystallize the smaller moments of urban living. ...
