Gabriela Marván
Visual Artist
Photo credits: Hanna Agar Photography
Gabriela Jiménez Marván (Gabriela Marván) was raised and born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Since she was 8 years old, her mother enrolled her in drawing and painting classes.
Having a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and a specialty on Media Design she started
studying sculpture in 2016, under traditional cartonería artists (similar to paper maché) and a contemporary artist from Cuernavaca. Gabriela’s style fusions both traditional techniques and a contemporary and experimental touch on her colorful and expressive pieces.
These sculptures are inspired by the alebrijes created on 1930 by Pedro Linares. Now all the cartoneros (artists who work with paper) create these kind of sculptures, where we create our own patterns mixing two or more animals. I created these sculptures with my husband, Ryan Rothweiler. It was fun to make this collaborative work.
This piece is inspired by José Guadalupe Posada’s work. Fandango is a traditional improv party in Veracruz, where people compose and sing, play music and there is a couple in the middle who dances, while people enjoy, eat, or celebrate that.
What energizes you as you consider the future of the arts in Wisconsin?
I would love Wisconsin to be recognized as a place where artists can create and have more programs and organizations that support this. I feel motivated by seeing the community of artists growing and that art can be accessible to everyone who wants to create. From my perspective of the art that I do, where I include cultural and traditional techniques and meaning, I would like to share with more people part of my heritage and identity through my art, bringing a slice of Mexico through my art. I have experienced rewarding feelings when I do this sharing it with new Mexican American generations and with the US community. I like to think that this helps to create more empathy and cultural understanding.
Where can we find your work?
Instagram: @folkartcollective
Instagram too: @poshemx
Gabriela is also participating in the Winding Roads art tour this year, where people can visit her studio in person and can learn more about her process: https://www.windingroadsart.com/gabriela-marvaacuten.html
50 Years of the Wisconsin Arts Board 