ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Exploring natural dyes and the threads of identity
The bark of a tree, a bush with its flowers, or the hues of the earth under our feet offer infinite possibilities for obtaining natural color and refer to vitality in different states of impermanence. By experimenting with ancestral and contemporary methods of working with these elements by hand, we manage to extend their applications. This practice becomes our contribution to family traditions, fostering a connection where dyeing, sewing, and embroidery intertwine.
From Surroundings to the Inner Self offers a glimpse into our reality. It explores how the natural and artificial contexts, the historical period where we live, all influence our craft. Through our shared practices and common history, we find that the experience of living, inhabiting, and our very corporality become the foundation of our approaches. Ultimately, this is our soil, our world—essentially, it represents who we are.
EXHIBITION GALLERY
Milo 2025
Sama 2025
5 y 10 2025
2020 2025
La Juárez 2025
Vientos de Santa Ana 2025
Tijuana 2025
Color Cards 1 2025
Color Cards 2 2025
Color Cards 3 2025
Color Cards 4 2025
Color Cards 5 2025
Color Cards 6 2025
Toosa 2025
ARTISTS’ STATEMENT
“The history of landscape is also the history of the relationship between different elements that come together as a whole.”
– The Tale of the Glaciers, Magali Lara.
Sama: The seven pieces that make up this collage represent an inner landscape of my life in Tijuana. Since moving to this city in April 2020, I have undergone a dramatic transformation—both personal and physical—that has become deeply tangible.
Through this visual exercise, using textiles dyed with natural pigments, I leave behind a record of a period that will mark a turning point in my adult life. The dye material, due to its organic nature, will continue to change over time—just as I will, along with what is portrayed in these pieces.
Mildred: This is the beginning of a series showcasing the natural dyes I am currently experimenting with. In this first installment, I present six color cards, each one representing a dye material and its variations according to textile preparation (mordant), dyeing processes, and applied modifiers.
Each square illustrates the diverse range of colors and textures that emerge when the same dye is applied to different textiles and threads, resulting in a dynamic and decorative composition.
The hues, saturation levels, and brightness will continue to evolve over time, influenced by environmental conditions. This process allows us to better understand how we might work with natural dyes in textiles and explore their endless possibilities.
See our YouTube channel for more content about our exhibitions.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
SUULA
Suula started more than twelve years ago as a personal activity of creative expression. Today, it is a collaborative project in constant search of processes with low environmental impact, obtaining botanical and mineral colors, using traditional methods, and applying them to different materials. Within this framework, we let ourselves learn techniques that require our manual work to be linked to the nature of the materials and time.
We look to elevate our production with a greater social and cultural significance. Seeding multiple artistic endeavors, we aim to create pieces with almost animistic energy, creative experimentation, constant learning, the development of techniques, and their registration.
With a clear affinity for research, Mildred Barrios actively studies and develops processes for obtaining mineral pigments and botanical color.Her work emphasizes the experimental nature and nobility that comes from working with natural materials present in her environment. Mildred is a graphic designer and currently works in her itinerant laboratory between Hermosillo, Tijuana, and Philadelphia.
With studies in architecture from Tec de Monterrey, in recent years Sama Barrios has focused on learning and experimenting with the design of utilitarian objects, textile dyeing, and their use in decorative textile pieces. He integrates these interests into his role as a university professor, where he teaches courses on design and architectural theory. His formal style is influenced by elements of the urban landscape and the notion of ruin.