My Father's Dream by Sew Loka
Mi Sueño Loka: In Pursuit of the American Dream
Sew Loka
April 16 – May 31, 2025
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
In this vibrant textile art exhibition, clothing becomes the medium through which a powerful story of family, perseverance, and achievement unfolds.
Mi Sueño Loka showcases a collection of intricately crafted textiles, where traditional Mexican clothing designs merge with Sew Loka’s modern streetwear aesthetics, reflecting the artist’s journey as a first-generation Mexican-American entrepreneur. At its heart, Mi Sueño Loka is a celebration of possibility. The works showcase how determination, creativity, and hard work can transform dreams into reality, embodying the spirit of ambition and opportunity that make the American story unique. Through fabric and thread, the artist pays homage to her parents’ courage while proudly displaying her own achievements as a successful business owner and artist.
The exhibition creates a rich tapestry of experience that resonates with anyone who has dared to take a life changing risk and dream big. It stands as a testament to the contributions of immigrant families to the American business world and culture, while also celebrating the universal themes of family, tradition, hard work, and the pursuit of excellence.
Mi Sueño Loka invites viewers to experience the power of legacy, the beauty of cultural fusion, and the triumph of the entrepreneurial spirit—all through the transformative medium of textile art.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Claudia Rodriguez-Biezunski
Claudia Rodriguez-Biezunski, better known as Sew Loka, is a San Diego-based textile artist and fashion designer who has made a significant impact in the intersection of streetwear, sustainability, Chicana culture, and DIY fashion. She gained prominence for her distinctive style of customizing and upcycling clothing, while using only recycled, reclaimed, and repurposed fabrics to create her one of one fashion designs and textile art pieces.
Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Rodriguez-Biezunski was influenced by the city's vibrant Mexican-American culture, punk scene, and thrift store aesthetic. She began sewing at a young age, learning traditional techniques that would later inform her distinctive artistic approach. The name "Sew Loka" combines her love for sewing with a nod to Chicano street culture, where "Loka" (crazy) is reclaimed as a term of empowerment.
Beyond her fashion work, Rodriguez-Biezunski is also known for her commitment to community engagement and teaching others the art of sewing and customization. She is teaching a workshop at VMOTA, Sew Loka Workshop: Wear Your Story, on Monday, May 26, 2025. You can learn more about the workshop here.
You can visit her anytime at her sewing studio, Sew Loka, in the vibrant neighborhood of Barrio Logan in San Diego, CA.
EXHIBITION GALLERY
