Gabrielle Lacoste
Montréal , Quebec
Booth U1
Untapped
Gabrielle Lacoste is a Chilean-Belgian artist who uses textile processes including weaving, knitting, embroidery and sewing, to materially translate shared cultural philosophies of making as an act of resistance. her approach is deeply rooted in her Chilean identity and relationship to political textile arts. The recent loss of her Chilean legal status has fueled a deep questioning regarding sense of belonging, theories of cultural identity and how the system of citizenship was created by and reproduces patterns of colonization, racial capitalism and imperialism. She considers her work to be a tool, not only focused on the outcome and the message it carries, but also what happens during the making. She uses repetitive and labour-intensive techniques to create a physical and mental space for reflection. Every stitch is charged with the energy of the mechanical movements that weave the body and mind together in meditation. Through this process she creates installations that invite viewers to ask questions with her.