Poetic Utterances: Viviana Paredes' Mixed‑Media Journey at MACLA

When you step into MACLA on 510 S. First St. in San Jose, you’re greeted not just by artwork but by a quiet invitation to listen to the earth.  Viviana Paredes’ new exhibition, “Poetic Utterances,” does exactly that – it asks the viewer to feel, rather than simply see, the layers of memory she’s harvested over a lifetime.

Paredes is a mixed‑media artist whose practice is rooted in stories passed down by her grandmother, a curandera who taught her that plants hold their own kind of language.  That notion—what the artist calls “plant wisdom”—is the backbone of the show.  She takes the fibrous skins of the agave plant, lets them dry, and then treats them as a canvas, a pigment, a sculptural element.

One of the first pieces you encounter is “Mexiote,” a towering glass representation of an agave stalk that seems to float on a bed of cedar.  The glass is clear enough to let light pass through, yet its edges catch the shadows of the surrounding agave skins, creating a dialogue between the living plant and its petrified echo.

But the real emotional punch comes from a multimedia installation co‑created with fellow Lucas Artist‑in‑Residence Jesse Gilbert.  It combines glass sculptures, projected images of sun‑drenched fields, and a low‑hum of recorded wind.  Standing there, you can almost hear the rustle of agave leaves and feel the weight of centuries‑old stories swirling around you.

In true Paredes fashion, the exhibition is as much about process as product.  She often pauses during creation to recount the old songs her grandmother sang while harvesting agave, letting those melodies shape the rhythm of the work.  Those moments of quiet reflection spill over into the gallery, turning a viewing into a shared meditation.

Visitors who want to go deeper should mark their calendars for Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m., when Paredes will lead an artist talk.  She’ll discuss everything from the tactile challenges of working with agave skin to the larger cultural narratives that keep pulling her back to this material.

The show runs through Nov. 15, giving plenty of time for anyone curious about the intersection of Latin American heritage, environmental materiality and contemporary art to stop by.  For hours, tickets and more details, head to www.maclaarte.org.