Alicia Reyes McNamara

How did you get into making art?

I was drawn to making art from a young age. And I thankfully had a very supportive famly that encourgaged and supported my creative explorations.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a new body of work for The London Open at Whitechapel Gallery next summer.

What inspired you to get started on this body of work?

As a Mexican-Irish American and culturally mixed person, I am invested in opening up the concept of an in-between space, where identity is fluid and where cultures and their languages intersect. My practice explores the potential of how all things can transcend their own definition and acquire a new life or meaning.

During quarantine I began a series that started as a place to put my anxieties, but it quickly became an investigation of folklore and rituals around loss, mourning and healing, in which beings and landscapes mutate and shapeshift, creating a personal imaginary of forms of embodiment.

Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?

Recently I’ve been working on a few distinct projects.

What’s a typical day like in your studio?

I try to spend the first few hours in the studio making drawings and then I move into larger paintings based on the drawings or themes within the drawings.

Who are your favorite artists?

Ovartaci, Annabeth Rosen, Nicole Eisenman, Hilma af Klint, Leonora Carrington, Paula Rego, Erika Verzutti, and many many more.

Where do you go to discover new artists?

I usually discover new artists through Instagram and friend’s recommendations.