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“Ser Es” is Paula Riquelme’s first solo exhibition in Lisbon and offers an intimate window into her artistic universe, currently on view at Haize’s gallery in 8 Marvila, until June 22nd. While producing “Ser Es” in Lisbon, the Chilean artist immersed herself for three weeks in the local culture. She explored vintage markets, drawn to intricate crochet pieces, and was captivated by the craftsmanship she encountered. One particularly meaningful encounter took place during a knitting afternoon at Clube Royale, a vintage shop located in Santos, where she joined a group of women who meet there weekly to knit and share their skills and stories. These exchanges echo the very essence of “Ser Es”: the transmission of knowledge, the layering of lives, and the reimagining of tradition.
A New Chapter in Lisbon
Ser Es brings together eight sculptural beings made from upcycled wool pullovers—some of which were gifted to the artist by friends after the loss of loved ones. These specific garments, carrying traces of their past lives, are what inspired the artist to create this series of characters that stand, lean, or recline across frames, forming a tactile constellation of identities. Each woven being has a distinct personality and posture, inviting connection, quiet reflection and recognition.
An Immersive Space for Intimate Transformation
The exhibition also features a textile installation that takes over the entire central room of the gallery. Part of a growing movement of fiber-based installations, such as those by Chiharu Shiota or Sheila Hicks, Paula Riquelme’s work remains singular in tone. Her use of wool is deeply personal, layered with history, and symbols that resonate emotionally. Certainly impressive, immersive and atmospheric, the installation at Haize unfolds with a concentrated, intimate intensity—especially when compared to Riquelme’s more monumental works, such as what will be unveiled with Maraña. This makes “Ser Es” all the more compelling: a condensed yet vivid world that gestures toward the breadth of the artist’s large creative capacity. The installation transforms the space into a woven dreamscape and invite visitors to let go and open themselves to wonder.
From Wool to Movement: What Comes Next
Ser Es is not only a tribute to textile art—it is a tribute to memory, transformation, and the invisible threads that connect us across time. It is currently on view at Haize in 8 Marvila. From May 15 to 18, Maraña, Paula’s second project with Haize will be presented at Carpintarias de São Lázaro. This performance blends choreography, textile, and scenography into an immersive experience that reimagines wool as a living presence. With bodies wrapped, tangled, and activated by yarn,
Maraña unfolds like a dream of motion, where gestures speak, threads breathe, and space itself is rewoven in real time.
Together, Ser Es and Marana form a rare and compelling journey into the world of an artist who invites one to feel with the eyes and remember with the hands.
