Suppose you were traipsing through Tribeca on a cautiously pleasant Wednesday evening that dared you to reject the mid-week slump and embrace the freedom of your night. Chances are you stumbled upon the opening reception of Mexican visual artist Elina Chauvet’s new body of work, “Corazón al Hilo”, or “Heart in Thread”, presented by MAD54 and Galeria 1204 just in time for Women’s History Month.
Chauvet has been threading her needle and the color red through artistry and activism for over a decade. Her 2009 installation, “Zapatos Rojos”, meaning “Red Shoes,” gained international attention for its public denouncement of femicide. Chavet placed thirty-three pairs of red shoes, one in front of the other, down a major street in Juarez in honor of her sister and every woman who has been murdered because of their gender. Impactful is an understatement.
Guests of Chauvet’s new exhibition, on display until March 29th, scaled the steep wooden steps to Tyler Loftis’ transformational studio space, expecting perhaps an intimate yet somewhat typical gallery showing. Instead, they were immersed in what could be a perfectly preserved 1920s New York City apartment: wood floors, amber lighting, and the artist herself at work on her knees, embroidering words of encouragement into a worn wedding dress.
It’s no coincidence that Chauvet and her co-curators, Aida Valdez and Lorena Ramos, invited attendees into this domestic domain to engage with Chauvet’s collection of traditionally feminized textiles boldly embellished with red thread. “Corazón al Hilo” is a show that explores the economic power imbalance between genders due to overlooked and unpaid domestic labor.
(L-R: Lorena Ramos, Erika De La Cruz, Diana Garcia)
One of her pieces is an installation of an ironing board readied with an iron and a men’s collared shirt. Upon closer inspection, attendees see that “¡F*ck you, Tom!” is embroidered onto cloth stuck to the bottom of the iron. While most of the exhibition is in Spanish, the incorporation of English here highlights that the perpetuation of negative stereotypes against women exists in many places.
The LA Girl’s Editor-in-Chief, Erika De La Cruz sat down with Elina Chauvet for Hispanic is Iconic to interview her on the many works that she’s showcasing in New York. In the exclusive interview, Chauvet touched on her passion for her art, saying, “I try to connect emotionally with people. Through my work, I seek to raise awareness. So, I think that to talk about horrible things, you don’t need to show horrible images to express something that is already obvious. For me, art is for everyone; there are no restrictions. Those who want to be receptive will be, and they will be moved, because for me, it is the perfect tool for communication.” Stay tuned for the full interview, which will be released in May.
(Erika and Elina Chauvet Interview)
The reception cultivated a sense of community and female empowerment. Guests gathered around a long dining table cloaked in a tablecloth that Chauvet has embroidered with place settings. The inscription on one of the embroidered plates read, “ Tal vez algun día va a cambiar,” or “maybe one day it will change.” For Chauvet, “Corazón al Hilo” is about resignifying domestic work and giving it value through her art while also talking about this economic issue that continue to prevail.
In conjunction with “Corazón al Hilo”, Chauvet enacted her performance piece, “Confianza,” or, “Trust.” The piece came to life in 2013 and is inspired by the unfinished performance piece of Italian artist Pip Vaca called “Brides on Tour.” Vaca and her friends donned wedding dresses to hitchhike from Milan to Jerusalem to promote trust in strangers. Vaca was killed in Turkey. Reception attendees watched as Chauvet, on the floor of the studio-turned-apartment, embroiders what people have said “Trust” means to them on to the skirt of a wedding dress. Chauvet isn’t concerned about finishing the dress; the performance is ongoing, like the conflict of gender violence she’s advocating to end.
Confianza
“Zapatos Rojos” now travels to museums and exhibitions worldwide, and Chauvet has added to the installation’s number of shoes. In 2023, she partnered with Dior to create a runway performance piece of embroidered dresses with words and images tied to femicide in her signature red thread. Through her singular and authentic artistic vision, Chauvet remains unwavering in her commitment to the freedom and livelihood of women. Her current exhibition “Corazón al Hilo,” on display at Tyler Loftis Studio in Tribeca New York until March 29th, is no exception.
Dior Partner Piece
If you’re looking for more women like Elina Chauvet, breaking down the barriers of their field, check out these inspiring women transforming their industry.
