MARIA NEPOMUCENO

Across decades, Maria Nepomuceno has developed a collaborative and generative relationship with a group of female artisans in northeast Brazil renowned for weaving carnauba palm straw, native to the region, into functional objects. Nepomuceno has experimented with this medium, inventing new shapes, patterns, and forms that incorporate traditional techniques while also integrating more unconventional materials such as beads, raw clay, ceramic, resin, and rope. Emerging through the evolution of this labor-intensive method, the resulting works oscillate between collage, painting, and sculpture. Reflecting the spirit of Nepomuceno’s practice, with references to Brazilian flora and fauna, each woven structure appears as its own complete and beautifully balanced ecosystem, made up of a seemingly endless and complex network of interconnected and overflowing elements.

Photos Courtesy of SCAD