Nicolás Labadía

Born en 1985 in Chile
Lives and works in Quillota (Region of Valaparaiso)

The work of this artist consists mainly in the construction of very small-scale sculptures mixing both manufactured and organic items. Using creative mechanisms such as de-contextualizing objects from their natural space and purpose, he creates an ingenious hyper-detailed assembled construct. The artist collects countless articles during his long walks wandering the city, objects which he then fits together to represent his “hybrid beings.” His main work, the “Insectarium – Bestiary,” starts with an assembly process where different objects are put together through a manual and visual association of parts creating small works that are collectable pieces of a greater body of art. These small works would be ideally displayed in a museum atmosphere that elevates and stresses the size and delicate nature of the sculptures. The exhibits have evolved from vertical glass displays to a kind of science class insectarium, stressing the collectable aspect of these works of art while also emphasizing their preservation.

Exhibitions
2010 – De los libros a los insectos, Escultura – instalación Librería Metales Pesados (Santiago, Chile)
2008 – Santiago Alto Contraste, Instalación Fotográfica – Museo Nacional Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna (Santiago, Chile)
2010 – Concurso Artistas Siglo XXI, Escultura – (Santiago, Chile)
2009 – Concurso Cabeza de Ratón – M.A.V.I., Escultura (Santiago, Chile)
2009 – Exposición Naturalezas, Escultura – Centro Cultural Balmaceda 1215 (Santiago, Chile)
2009 – Concurso Arte Joven, Escultura – Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Santiago, Chile)
2008 – Umbrales, Escultura – Centro de Extensión Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Santiago, Chile)