Colorful Thread Art Depicts Day-To-Day Life of Los Angeles’ Latino Communities

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles.

Photo 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Medel began experimenting with thread art in 2019.

Erick Medel’s thread art depicting immigrant communities

Eventually, I started to stretch them like a canvas over a frame.

Medel works mostly from photographs, but he sometimes designs a composition on his own.

I moved to a heavily Latino immigrant neighborhood, which reminded me a lot of my childhood in Mexico.

Erick Medel’s thread art depicting immigrant communities

I find it very inspirational and thats why I make work about it.

In Medel’s works, the intangible connection between the community members works as a narrative thread.

Even though many figures remain faceless, the energy of the community persists.

Erick Medel’s thread art depicting immigrant communities

Boyle Heights is clearly the place where many have found themselves comfortably at home.

Ultimately, while only a handful of people live in Boyle Heights, the feeling of belonging is universal.

He says, If it can evoke a memory or emotion, thats successful to me.

Erick Medel’s thread art depicting immigrant communities

For the people from my background, I hope they might see themselves or loved ones in the work.

The exhibition Erick Medel: Vidas runs through August 31 at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles.

To learn more, visit the gallery’swebsite.

Erick Medel’s thread art depicting immigrant communities

In Medel’s works, the intangible connection between the community members works as a narrative thread.

Erick Medel:Website|Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Charlie James Gallery.

Erick Medel’s thread art depicting immigrant communities