Maria A. Guzmán Capron b. 1981
Through a combination of hand-sewn textiles and paints, Maria A. Guzmán Capron joins together an array of patterns and striking colors to fashion bodily forms. Merging figuration with abstraction, these works explore cultural hybridity, pride, and the competing desires to assimilate and to be seen. Born in Milan, Italy to Colombian and Peruvian parents and later relocating to Texas as a teenager, the artist recognizes the challenges of toggling between various cultures and geographies. Her multilayered textile works emphasize that we consist of several identities, some that we repress and some that we exalt.
Capron’s practice explores how clothing is used as a marker of class, gender, and cultural identity. Composed with a variety of recycled, off-cut, and store-bought fabrics, her works merge privileged textiles with those that have been rejected and discarded as excess. By contrasting common fibers like cotton with more luxurious fabrics like silk, the artist addresses material hierarchies in art and fashion to parallel the power dynamics that exist within class and gender.
In addition to serving as a metaphor for society’s inequities, her use of mainstream and mass market materials functions as a subversive gesture to challenge the homogenizing capitalist landscape. Enlisting an intentional range of materials, including fabrics readily accessible to all, the artist stages a space for difference to thrive. Drawing from immigrants’ experiences, she is invested in the friction of mistranslations—of failing to “dress the part,” or having one’s pride in self-expression overcast by exoticization or coercive assimilation.
Exaggerated body parts—signature moves in Capron’s work—render muscular arms that embrace, puffy fingers that clasp together, and slinky legs that intertwine to become one. Through eclectic fabric and subtly painted brushstrokes, these interlaced figures confront the viewer and become an invitation for vulnerability, openness, and individual expression.
Maria A. Guzmán Capron (b. 1981, Lives and works in Oakland, CA) was born in Italy to Colombian and Peruvian parents. She received her MFA from California College of the Arts in 2015 and her BFA from the University of Houston in 2004. Solo exhibitions include the Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, TX; Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, CA; Texas State Galleries, San Marcos, TX; Premier Junior, San Francisco, CA; Roll Up Project, Oakland, CA; and Guerrero Gallery San Francisco, CA. Select group exhibitions include Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco; Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA; Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, CA; pt.2 Gallery, Oakland, CA; NIAD Art Center, Richmond, CA; CULT Aimee Friberg Exhibitions, San Francisco, CA; Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art, Buffalo, NY; Deli Gallery in Brooklyn, NY; and Mana Contemporary in Chicago, IL. Her works have been written about in Hyperallergic, Variable West, Bomb Magazine, and Art in America. Capron is a 2022 recipient of SFMOMA’s SECA Award and her work is currently featured in the exhibition, Respira Hondo, at SFMOMA through May 2023.
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronEmoción Pasajera, 2022fabric, thread, batting, acrylic stuffing, spray paint, acrylic paint55 1/2 x 65 in
141 x 165.1 cm -
Maria A. Guzmán CapronIris, 2022fabric, thread, batting, acrylic stuffing, acrylic paint, spray paint36 x 27 x 2 in
91.4 x 68.6 x 5.1 cm -
Maria A. Guzmán CapronA Todo Dar, 2022fabric, thread, batting, acrylic stuffing, spray paint, acrylic paint48 x 74 1/2 in
121.9 x 189.2 cm -
Maria A. Guzmán CapronUna Noche en Mis Brazos, 2022fabric, thread, batting, stuffing, spray paint, latex paint and fabric paint42 x 44 in
106.7 x 111.8 cm -
Maria A. Guzmán CapronPara Ti, 2022Fabrics, thread, batting, acrylic stuffing, acrylic paint and spray paint44 x 42 x 4 in
111.8 x 106.7 x 10.2 cm -
Maria A. Guzmán CapronUn Paso Que Vibra, 2022fabric, thread, batting, stuffing, spray paint, latex paint and fabric paint61 x 60 in
154.9 x 152.4 cm -
Maria A. Guzmán CapronAcércate, 2022fabric, thread, batting, latex and spray paint44 x 39 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronComerte Entera, 2022fabric, thread, batting, latex paint and spray paint47.5 x 35.25 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronCon Cariño, 2022fabric, thread, batting, latex paint and spray paint38.5 x 40.5 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronEnamorada, 2022Fabric, thread, batting, stuffing, spray paint47 x 63 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronDoble, 2022Fabric, thread, batting, stuffing, spray paint, latex paint70 ¼ x 68 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronMe Contuve, 2022Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint42.75 x 34 x 2.5 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronDuo, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint59 x 34 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronSiempre, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint40 x 62 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronSígueme, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint46 x 36 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronTe Llevo Dentro, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint59 x 29 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronTemblor, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint34 x 36 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronEquis, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, acrylic and spray paint55 x 51 in
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronDark Poodle, 2016Fabric, thread, batting, stuffing, and paint64.5 x 57 inches
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronMeterorita, 2016Fabric, thread, batting, stuffing, and paint128 x 47.5 inches
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Maria A. Guzmán CapronAlba En Tanga, 2021Fabric, thread, batting, latex paint, spray paint and acrylic paint29 x 13 in
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Forma Seductora, Blaffer Art Museum, July 15 – September 18, 2022.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Forma Seductora, Blaffer Art Museum, July 15 – September 18, 2022.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Forma Seductora, Blaffer Art Museum, July 15 – September 18, 2022.
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Maria A. Guzmán Capron (left) and Coady Brown (center and right) at NADA NY, Shulamit Nazarian, May 5–8, 2022
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Maria A. Guzmán Capron (right and left) and Coady Brown (center left) at NADA NY, Shulamit Nazarian, May 5–8, 2022
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Maria A. Guzmán Capron (right) and Coady Brown (left) at NADA NY, Shulamit Nazarian, May 5–8, 2022
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron: Celaje, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, November 13, 2021 – January 8, 2022.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron: Celaje, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, November 13, 2021 – January 8, 2022.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron: Celaje, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, November 13, 2021 – January 8, 2022.
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Installation view, Intersecting Selves, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, July 10–August 28, 2021.
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Installation view, Intersecting Selves, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, July 10–August 28, 2021.
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Installation view, Intersecting Selves, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, July 10–August 28, 2021.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Olas Malcriadas, Texas State Galleries, August 23–November 12, 2021.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Olas Malcriadas, Texas State Galleries, August 23–November 12, 2021.
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Installation view, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Olas Malcriadas, Texas State Galleries, August 23–November 12, 2021.
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10 Years
9 Jul - 27 Aug 2022Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles is pleased to present 10 YEARS, a special group exhibition celebrating this milestone anniversary for the gallery. To mark the anniversary, founder Shula Nazarian and co-owner Seth Curcio have selected works by more than twenty artists from the gallery’s program. The exhibition will be on view...Read more -
Maria A. Guzmán Capron
Celaje 13 Nov 2021 - 8 Jan 2022Shulamit Nazarian is pleased to present Celaje, a solo exhibition of new textile sculptures by Oakland-based artist Maria A. Guzmán Capron. This will be the artist’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles. Through a combination of hand-sewn textiles and paints, Capron joins together an array of patterns and striking colors...Read more -
Intersecting Selves
Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Amir H. Fallah, Wendell Gladstone, Julie Henson, Ellen Lesperance, Ebony G. Patterson, and Tori Wrånes 10 Jul - 28 Aug 2021Shulamit Nazarian is pleased to present Intersecting Selves, a group exhibition featuring Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Amir H. Fallah, Wendell Gladstone, Julie Henson, Ellen Lesperance, Ebony G. Patterson, and Tori Wrånes. Each of the artists in Intersecting Selves considers the body as a barrier between the...Read more
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NADA Miami
Amir H. Fallah, Daniel Gibson, Ken Gun Min, Maria A. Guzmán Capron, Summer Wheat, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Wendell Gladstone 30 Nov - 3 Dec 2022For NADA Miami 2022, Shulamit Nazarian is pleased to present new works by Berkeley-based artist Maria A. Guzmán Capron; Los Angeles-based artists Amir H. Fallah,...Read more -
NADA New York
Coady Brown and Maria A. Guzmán Capron 5 - 8 May 2022Shulamit Nazarian is pleased to present new works by Philadelphia-based painter Coady Brown and Oakland-based fiber artist Maria A. Guzmán Capron for NADA New York...Read more -
Art Basel OVR:2021
Maria A. Guzmán Capron 9 - 12 Feb 2022For Art Basel OVR:2021, Shulamit Nazarian is pleased to present new works by Oakland-based artist Maria A. Guzmán Capron. Art Basel OVR:2021 is a virtual...Read more
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Maria A. Guzmán Capron "Respira Hondo" SECA Award Exhibition at SFMOMA
December 17, 2022 – May 29, 2023 December 17, 2022Respira Hondo 2022 SECA Award Exhibition Curated by Jovanna Venegas and AndreA Nitsche-Krupp ON VIEW DEC 17, 2022 – MAY 29, 2023 Member's Reception, December...Read more -
Maria A. Guzmán Capron featured at the Blaffer Art Museum
July 15 – September 18, 2022 July 15, 2022Forma Seductora ON VIEW JULY 15 – SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, Texas Curated by Tyler Blackwell, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Associate Curator Book...Read more -
Maria A. Guzmán Capron Recent Museum Acquisition
The de Young Museum July 14, 2022Major New Acquisition Funded by Svane Family Foundation Fosters Bay Area Arts Community 42 works by 30 artists provide snapshot of most pressing contemporary concerns...Read more -
Maria A. Guzmán Capron receives SECA Award
SF Chronicle: 5 Bay Area artists named 2022 winners for prestigious SECA Award May 4, 2022By Aidin Vaziri | May 3, 2022 The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has announced the 2022 recipients of its biennial SECA Art Award...Read more -
Maria A. Guzmán Capron featured at the Contemporary Jewish Museum
Feb 17 – Jan 8, 2023 February 17, 2022Tikkun: For the Cosmos, the Community, and Ourselves ON VIEW FEBRUARY 29 – MARCH 26, 2022 Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, California Featuring: Maria A....Read more -
Maria A. Guzmán Capron featured at the Berkeley Art Center
January 29 – March 26, 2022 January 29, 2022MIDAS: HOW ART BECOMES LIFE & LIFE BECOMES ART ON VIEW JANUARY 29 – MARCH 26, 2022 Berkeley Art Center, California Curated by Squeak Carnwath...Read more -
Now Representing Maria A. Guzmán Capron
November 21, 2021Through a combination of hand-sewn textiles and paints, Maria A. Guzmán Capron joins together an array of patterns and striking colors to fashion bodily forms....Read more
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KQED: SECA Brings the Refreshing Art of ‘Here’ and ‘Now’ to SFMOMA
Sarah Hotchkiss, KQED, January 18, 2023 -
San Francisco Examiner: SFMOMA SECA Awards reveal what Bay Area art is today
Max Blue, San Francisco Examiner, January 17, 2023 -
Galerie: 10 Standout Emerging Artists Discovered at NADA and Untitled Art in Miami
Paul Laster, Galerie Magazine, December 2, 2022 -
Artsy: Our Curated Guide to Miami Art Fairs
Annabel Keenan, Artsy, November 22, 2022 -
The Artsy Vanguard 2022: Maria A. Guzmán Capron
Isabel Ling, Artsy, November 15, 2022 -
ArteMorbida: Maria A. Guzmán Capron
Barbara Pavan, ArteMorbida, March 7, 2022 -
Berkeleyside: Faces, furniture, flowers are alchemically transformed at Berkeley Art Center
Jaimie Baron, Berkeleyside, February 21, 2022 -
Variable West: Editor's Picks — Maria A. Guzmán Capron: Celaje
Amelia Rina, Variable West, November 11, 2021 -
Hyperallergic: Maria Guzmán Capron’s Deliciously Tactile Fabric Figures, or “Hot Aliens”
Lauren Moya Ford, Hyperallergic, October 12, 2021 -
Elephant: Now You See Me: The Artists Questioning the Construction of the Self
Madeleine Pollard, Elephant, August 23, 2021 -
BOMB: One Piece: Intrepida by Maria Guzmán Capron
Bomb, October 19, 2018 -
Juxtapoz: Guerrero Gallery's October Exhibitions With Maria Guzmán Capron and Hilary Pecis
Juxtapoz, October 17, 2018