Vanessa Barragão is an environmental and textile artist from Portugal. She studied fashion but shifted to working with textiles at the end of her masters. In an interview, Barragão talked about feeling out of sync with the fast pace of the fashion industry. She prefers the slow movement that she is able to capture in her own practice.1 Throughout her time studying fashion Barragão learnt a lot about the damage the fashion industry is causing the planet. To reduce waste, Barragão made a deal with the textile factory she used to work with, to take and reuse all their discarded materials. Since then she has been contacted by other factories for the same reason.2 Barragão has been inspired by nature for a long time. She recounts visiting the Caribbean on holiday as a child and being inspired by the shapes and colours of the coral reefs. Each year she began to notice the coral was slowly disappearing.3 Through her practice Barragão is bringing awareness to the waste and pollution that we need to cut down in order to save these precious ecosystems. Her imagery is often bright and colourful and brings feelings of a whimsical fantasy. Alongside a sustainable methodology and materials that are Barragão’s own way of helping the environment, create an environmentally aware example of how to help our planet.
When asked the question, are there any artists that inspire your work? Barragão’s response was, “I have never felt inspired by looking at an artwork of another person and I usually do not look at what other artists are doing, because it cuts my creativity.”4 In one sentence I feel validated for having the same opinion. For the almost two and a half years I have studied art I have constantly been told to go see art shows and research artists for inspiration. But none of the shows or art I have seen have done that. Never have I had an awe inspiring moment when looking at someone else’s art. I have always felt like there was something wrong with me; having imposter syndrome. My moment was standing back and looking at my first ever piece of fibre art. Finding that creative practice I have always longed for but only just discovered. It wasn’t perfect. Even now I’m still working out kinks. But chasing that feeling, that moment is what drives me to make art.
1 Keisha Jacobs, “Weaving Watery Worlds: An Interview with Vanessa Barragão,” Arts Help, accessed May 15, 2023, https://www.artshelp.com/vanessa-barragao/.
2 Ibid.
3 Vanessa Barragão, “Studio,” Vanessa Barragão, accessed May 15, 2023, https://vanessabarragao.com/studio.
4 Jacobs, Weaving Watery Worlds.
Sarah Jacquiline 