Patricia Fernández
Bio
In the sculptures and paintings of Patricia Fernández (b. 1980 Burgos, Spain), objects and images are often incomplete or partially hidden, and information is divorced from its original context. Her own family memories and archives serve as the foundation for her work. Fernández’s childhood in Spain was filled with family and friends whose lives and ideas were shaped by the repressive dictatorship of Francisco Franco (r. 1936–75). The political conditions gave rise to a sense of permanent exile for much of the population, and her family moved frequently, returning to Spain every few years. As a result, her familial archaeological excavation is both political and psychological, exploring the instability of memory and the reliance upon a murky family history for the construction of identity. Found objects and original sculptures and paintings all play a role in her visual language. Her wood sculptures are copies of items made by her grandfather, a traditional wood-carver. The process of copying and elaborating on the objects allows Fernández to connect to her own uncertain history and to open a space for viewers to consider the philosophical puzzle of memory and identity.
Gallery
Patricia Fernández
Works by Patricia Fernández. Installation view at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, June 2-September 2, 2012. Photo by Brian Forrest.
Patricia Fernández
Patricia Fernández. Collection I, 2011–12. Worn and repurposed fabrics, watercolor, acrylic, thread, and inherited objects. 120 x 84 in. (304.8 x 213.4 cm). Courtesy the artist and ltd los angeles. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer.
Patricia Fernández
Patricia Fernández. From a Record of Succession, 2011–12. 12 x 23 in. (30.5 x 58.4 cm). Clay, acrylic, ink, dye, hand-sewn linen, buttons, paper with texts typed with an Olivetti Studio 44 typewriter. Courtesy the artist and ltd los angeles. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer.
Patricia Fernández
Patricia Fernández. Facsimiles, 2010. Ink drawings, table with objects, painting on panel, corner with objects. Dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist and ltd los angeles. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer.
Patricia Fernández
Patricia Fernández. Instructions for a box, 2010. Acrylic, ink, collaged drawing, carved pine, linen. 41 x 26 in. (104.1 x 66 cm). Collection of Cindy and Armond Schwartz, Dallas. Courtesy the artist and ltd los angeles. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer.
Patricia Fernández
Patricia Fernández. its yours now. its all that there is., 2010. Mixed mediums. 64 x 91 x 26 in. (162.6 x 231.4 x 66 cm). Courtesy the artist and ltd los angeles. Photo by Thomas Mueller.