Mariana Monteagudo is a Miami based artist who creates a series of doll sculptures. Back in 1998 she started making small figures that came out spontaneously, and had a strong, unsettling look. She works mainly with latex, ceramic, plaster, cloth and wax, among other materials. The dolls are fascinating and intriguing, having an appearance of innocent wisdom, often due to their omniscient, unblinking eyes. Some appear worldly, while others are more naïve. Her artwork shows interest in a wide variety of expressions, from the pre-Columbian aesthetics to Japanese manga. Monteagudo explores a range of cultural references, from indigenous rituals to current popular culture influenced by the media, fashion and technology. Mixing all these elements, she creates disturbing images difficult to classify and always present in a liminal space, not ancient or contemporary, not tender or terrible.

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