The International Triennial of Pictorial Art, hosted at the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT), has brought together some of the most innovative and thought-provoking works in contemporary art. Among them is a powerful installation by Costa Rican artist Karla Herencia, titled What Are Those Stains That Float?

This piece challenges viewers to confront the pervasive issue of plastic pollution in our oceans. As one of the few Central American representatives at the Triennial, Herencia’s participation not only highlights her individual talent but also underscores the growing influence of Latin American art on the global stage.

MÍRAME Fine Art is proud to promote Costa Rica's cultural heritage, connecting artists like Karla Herencia with art lovers worldwide.

Karla Herencia at the Tijuana Triennial.

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Plastic: A Double-Edged Sword

Herencia’s installation is a striking commentary on the paradoxical nature of plastic—a material that is both a marvel of human ingenuity and a source of environmental devastation. The work is composed of paintings and sculptures made from plastic fragments that Herencia collected on the beaches of Costa Rica’s Cóbano area in Puntarenas. These fragments, remnants of our throwaway culture, are reimagined in Herencia’s art as both beautiful and haunting, embodying the tension between utility and destruction.

“Although we all know plastics float in the ocean, it’s different when you live near the coast and witness the daily impact,” Herencia shares. “I experience this daily during my walks on the beach, where plastic waste is increasingly prevalent.”

Karla Herencia's installation at the Tijuana Triennial.

In the gallery space, Herencia’s installation transforms these discarded plastics into a vivid, multicolored assemblage that resembles a metaphorical ocean. The piece invites viewers to reflect on the broader implications of human creation—how something as versatile and durable as plastic can also be so destructive to the natural world. It’s a visual and emotional call to action, urging us to reconsider our relationship with the materials we use and discard.

A Dialogue Between the Natural and the Artificial

Herencia’s work reflects the dynamic landscape of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, where the artist resides and maintains her studio. This region, with its dramatic convergence of oceanic and tectonic forces, offers a rich source of inspiration for Herencia as she explores themes of corporeality, territory, and environmental crises.

“My art is a constant conversation with my environment,” Herencia explains. “I explore the intersections of the socio-political, the emotional, and the intuitive.”

Herencia’s artistic practice is also shaped by her personal history. As the daughter of a Peruvian migrant mother, she has inherited a sensitivity to primitive materials and ceremonial traditions. This influence is evident in her work, where she incorporates traditional elements with contemporary concerns, such as environmental degradation.

Her ongoing experimentation with discarded materials offers a poignant commentary on the tension between the natural and the artificial, bridging the past with the present and the ceremonial with the everyday.

Tijuana Triennial: A Platform for Global Voices

The Tijuana Triennial, now in its second edition, has established itself as a vital platform for contemporary artists from around the world. Featuring over 100 works from 15 countries, the event pushes the boundaries of traditional painting, transforming the discipline into an experimental and dynamic field.

This year’s selection, curated by Leonor Amarante, delves into themes such as artificial intelligence, immigration, and ecology, offering what Amarante describes as a “visual anthropology of contemporaneity.” The Triennial challenges artists to explore new interpretations of the pictorial, creating a rich tapestry of global voices.

Opening day of the Tijuana Triennial.

In this context, Karla Herencia’s work stands out not only for its aesthetic and conceptual depth but also for its representation of a broader Latin American perspective on pressing environmental issues. Her installation remains on view at CECUT until February 2025, providing audiences with an opportunity to engage with the critical ecological challenges facing our world today.

MÍRAME Fine Art is honored to support and promote artists like Karla Herencia, whose work not only reflects the cultural and environmental issues of our time but also inspires a global audience to take action. Herencia’s participation in the Tijuana Triennial is a significant achievement, not just for her but for the wider community of Latin American artists striving to make their voices heard on the international stage.