Artist Kandy G Lopez is inspired by her community. “Those who have swagger,” she tells My Modern Met, “a rebel who glows and is forced to be seen in a place where we are told to disappear. I'm inspired by those who dare to dream with their armor on.” Lopez’s admiration takes the form of vibrant, monumental fiber art portraits of BIPOC people living in South Florida, where she's based. As an Afro-Caribbean creative, the medium is a “necessity to learn something new about her people and culture.”
Lopez works on hook mesh measuring up to 7 or 8 feet tall, and she uses yarn and paint to produce full-body portraits of people dressed in colorful clothing, sometimes by themselves or with others. They are relaxed and confident, locking eyes with us. The same can be said for the application of her materials. Yarn is employed in a painterly way, each strand perfectly placed to look like chunky brushstrokes stretched across the mesh. The actual paint, in contrast, offers visual breathing room. It’s used to change the color of the mesh, either on the background or strategically, like on a jacket.
“I started experimenting with fiber in 2015 with my cityscape collages,” Lopez explains. “Motherhood brought back fiber in 2019. It became my medium of choice since 2021. I'm fascinated with the metaphorical connection of fiber and portraiture.” Lopez's layered yarn and the inherent transparency of the mesh aid in telling the story of the people in her work. In celebrating the style and heritage of folks in her community, the pieces speak to the larger idea of representation and its importance in art and culture.
