Artist Statement & Bio
Indira Urrutia is a Chilean-born multidisciplinary artist whose work explores grief, social justice, memory, and migration, shaped by her experience as an immigrant. Combining personal history with ethnographic and oral history research, engaging communities through interviews, storytelling, and observations. In her labor-intensive, meditative processes, she creates tactile works that invite reflection on resilience, displacement, and human connection.
Materials are central to Urrutia’s storytelling. She works with metal wire, cassette tapes, photography, and video, often repurposing familiar objects to shift their meaning. Knitting with cassette tapes traces back to childhood memories of her parents, who, after immigrating to the U.S., sent recorded messages home—objects that now serve as woven artifacts of memory and loss. Copper and bronze, materials deeply connected to Chile’s extractive history, allow her to challenge industrial rigidity through the softness of textile techniques.
Public space and interactive installations are integral to her work. In Romantic Memory, a street intervention in Riyadh, she knitted in a public setting, fostering reflection and spontaneous dialogue. Her participatory projects transform spaces into shared experiences, bridging past and present through traditional craft techniques within contemporary discourse.
Urrutia’s artistic journey has been shaped by movement—both personal and geographical. From collaborating on socially engaged projects in San Francisco to embarking on a 4.5-journey by bicycle from Alaska to the Chilean Antarctic, she has explored themes of migration, cultural identity, and environmental awareness. This immersive experience, connecting with diverse communities across the Americas, deepened her commitment to storytelling through material and process.
She has exhibited internationally, with recent residencies at Masaha AiR in Saudi Arabia and the Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation in the UAE. Through her practice, she honors heritage while expanding its boundaries, reclaiming slow, repetitive labor as an act of resistance and healing.
Materials are central to Urrutia’s storytelling. She works with metal wire, cassette tapes, photography, and video, often repurposing familiar objects to shift their meaning. Knitting with cassette tapes traces back to childhood memories of her parents, who, after immigrating to the U.S., sent recorded messages home—objects that now serve as woven artifacts of memory and loss. Copper and bronze, materials deeply connected to Chile’s extractive history, allow her to challenge industrial rigidity through the softness of textile techniques.
Public space and interactive installations are integral to her work. In Romantic Memory, a street intervention in Riyadh, she knitted in a public setting, fostering reflection and spontaneous dialogue. Her participatory projects transform spaces into shared experiences, bridging past and present through traditional craft techniques within contemporary discourse.
Urrutia’s artistic journey has been shaped by movement—both personal and geographical. From collaborating on socially engaged projects in San Francisco to embarking on a 4.5-journey by bicycle from Alaska to the Chilean Antarctic, she has explored themes of migration, cultural identity, and environmental awareness. This immersive experience, connecting with diverse communities across the Americas, deepened her commitment to storytelling through material and process.
She has exhibited internationally, with recent residencies at Masaha AiR in Saudi Arabia and the Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation in the UAE. Through her practice, she honors heritage while expanding its boundaries, reclaiming slow, repetitive labor as an act of resistance and healing.
VISUAL ART EXHIBITIONS
⁃ Misk Art Institute Artist Residency Showcase Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2024
⁃ Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, Ras al Khaimah, UAE 2024
⁃ Spanish Embassy, Instituto Cervantes, Shanghái 2024
⁃ Westbund Art & design Fair Shanghái, China 2023
⁃ +GalleryLab Brooklyn, NY, USA 2023
⁃ Drap-Art’22 El Borsí Barcelona Spain 2022
⁃ Read's Artspace Women's History Month Art Exhibit Bridgeport CT, USA 2022
⁃ Real Circulo Artistico Drap Art 21, Barcelona, Spain 2021
⁃ Centro Cívic Drassanes Conexión Arte Barcelona Barcelona, Spain 2020
⁃ Root Division Until It Shatters, San Francisco CA, USA 2020
⁃ Fontecchio International Airport Gallery Group Exhibit Abruzzo, Italy 2020
⁃ La Pena Cultural Center Group Exhibit Berkeley CA, USA 2020
⁃ Mission Art Performance Project San Francisco, CA, USA 2020
⁃ Octagon Gallery The Daly City Arts & Culture Commission Daly City CA, USA 2019/20
⁃ Gracia Studio Transparente Barcelona, Spain 2019
⁃ Festival de Par en Par Buñol Valencia, Spain 2019
⁃ Castillo de Buñol VII Bienal de Arte y Diseño Valencia, Spain 2019
⁃ Atelier Güell Social Weaving - Solo Show Barcelona, Spain 2019
⁃ Root Division New Growth, San Francisco CA, USA 2018
⁃ San Francisco Symphony Día de Muertos community Altar San Francisco CA, USA 2014/15/17
⁃ SOMA Grand Solo Show San Francisco CA, USA 2017
⁃ Mission Cultural Center for Latino Art Solo Mujeres San Francisco CA, USA 2017
⁃ Frank-Ratchye Project Space Teaching Artist Fellow San Francisco CA, USA 2017
⁃ Mission Cultural center for Latino Art Solo Mujeres San Francisco CA, USA 2015
⁃ Richmond Art Center The Gaze From the Bicycle Richmond CA, USA 2013
⁃ Red Poppy Art House Trash Memories San Francisco CA, USA 2012
⁃ Casa Museo Pablo Neruda The Gaze From the Bicycle Isla Negra, Chile 2011
⁃ Universidad ARCIS The Gaze From the Bicycle Santiago, Chile 2011
⁃ Mission Cultural Center for Latino Art, Luna Negra, San Francisco CA, USA 2007
⁃ The de Young Museum Illusion 5 San Francisco CA, USA 2006
⁃ Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, Ras al Khaimah, UAE 2024
⁃ Spanish Embassy, Instituto Cervantes, Shanghái 2024
⁃ Westbund Art & design Fair Shanghái, China 2023
⁃ +GalleryLab Brooklyn, NY, USA 2023
⁃ Drap-Art’22 El Borsí Barcelona Spain 2022
⁃ Read's Artspace Women's History Month Art Exhibit Bridgeport CT, USA 2022
⁃ Real Circulo Artistico Drap Art 21, Barcelona, Spain 2021
⁃ Centro Cívic Drassanes Conexión Arte Barcelona Barcelona, Spain 2020
⁃ Root Division Until It Shatters, San Francisco CA, USA 2020
⁃ Fontecchio International Airport Gallery Group Exhibit Abruzzo, Italy 2020
⁃ La Pena Cultural Center Group Exhibit Berkeley CA, USA 2020
⁃ Mission Art Performance Project San Francisco, CA, USA 2020
⁃ Octagon Gallery The Daly City Arts & Culture Commission Daly City CA, USA 2019/20
⁃ Gracia Studio Transparente Barcelona, Spain 2019
⁃ Festival de Par en Par Buñol Valencia, Spain 2019
⁃ Castillo de Buñol VII Bienal de Arte y Diseño Valencia, Spain 2019
⁃ Atelier Güell Social Weaving - Solo Show Barcelona, Spain 2019
⁃ Root Division New Growth, San Francisco CA, USA 2018
⁃ San Francisco Symphony Día de Muertos community Altar San Francisco CA, USA 2014/15/17
⁃ SOMA Grand Solo Show San Francisco CA, USA 2017
⁃ Mission Cultural Center for Latino Art Solo Mujeres San Francisco CA, USA 2017
⁃ Frank-Ratchye Project Space Teaching Artist Fellow San Francisco CA, USA 2017
⁃ Mission Cultural center for Latino Art Solo Mujeres San Francisco CA, USA 2015
⁃ Richmond Art Center The Gaze From the Bicycle Richmond CA, USA 2013
⁃ Red Poppy Art House Trash Memories San Francisco CA, USA 2012
⁃ Casa Museo Pablo Neruda The Gaze From the Bicycle Isla Negra, Chile 2011
⁃ Universidad ARCIS The Gaze From the Bicycle Santiago, Chile 2011
⁃ Mission Cultural Center for Latino Art, Luna Negra, San Francisco CA, USA 2007
⁃ The de Young Museum Illusion 5 San Francisco CA, USA 2006
AWARDS
⁃ Misk Art Institute Masaha Art Residency Cycle 7, Saudi Arabia 2024
⁃ Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research Artist Residency, EAU 2023/24
⁃ Commendation for Contribution to The Diversity of Arts and Culture Daly City CA, USA 2019
⁃ Commendation for Latinx Heritage Month San Mateo County CA, USA 2019
⁃ Latino Artist FELLOWSHIP, Root Division San Francisco CA USA 2016/17
⁃ Primer Ciclo Nacional de Talleres Día de la Fotografía, Consejo Nacional de La Cultura y las Artes, Chilean Government, Valparaiso, Chile 2012
⁃ Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research Artist Residency, EAU 2023/24
⁃ Commendation for Contribution to The Diversity of Arts and Culture Daly City CA, USA 2019
⁃ Commendation for Latinx Heritage Month San Mateo County CA, USA 2019
⁃ Latino Artist FELLOWSHIP, Root Division San Francisco CA USA 2016/17
⁃ Primer Ciclo Nacional de Talleres Día de la Fotografía, Consejo Nacional de La Cultura y las Artes, Chilean Government, Valparaiso, Chile 2012
COMMISSION WORK
⁃ San Francisco Symphony Día de Muertos Altars San Francisco CA, USA 2014 - 2017
⁃ Currant Theatre If You Knew My Story San Francisco CA, USA 2018
⁃ Currant Theatre If You Knew My Story San Francisco CA, USA 2018
PERFORMING ART COLLABORATIONS
⁃ Grec Festival Legacy, Barcelona 2021
⁃ San Francisco International Art Festival Historias Migrantes San Francisco CA, 2005
⁃ San Francisco International Art Festival Historias Migrantes San Francisco CA, 2005
ARTIST TEACHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
⁃ Mi Cultura Art Project San Francisco CA, USA 2013-2020
⁃ Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive Berkeley CA, USA 2017-2021
⁃ The de Young Museum San Francisco CA, USA 2013 - 2016
⁃ San Francisco Youth Theater San Francisco CA, USA 2015-2020
⁃ The Marsh Youth Theater San Francisco CA, USA 2006 - 2008 and 2013-2015
⁃ Imagine Bus Art Project San Francisco CA, USA 2007
⁃ Comprehensive Art Program New Haven School district New Haven CT, USA 1998-2002
⁃ The Neighborhood Place Yale-New Haven Hospital New Haven CT, USA 2000-2002
⁃ Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive Berkeley CA, USA 2017-2021
⁃ The de Young Museum San Francisco CA, USA 2013 - 2016
⁃ San Francisco Youth Theater San Francisco CA, USA 2015-2020
⁃ The Marsh Youth Theater San Francisco CA, USA 2006 - 2008 and 2013-2015
⁃ Imagine Bus Art Project San Francisco CA, USA 2007
⁃ Comprehensive Art Program New Haven School district New Haven CT, USA 1998-2002
⁃ The Neighborhood Place Yale-New Haven Hospital New Haven CT, USA 2000-2002
SELECTED PRESENTATION
⁃ Hillcrest Juvenile Hall –Juvenile Court School, San Mateo CA, USA 2018
⁃ Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Martha’s Vineyard MA, USA 2018
⁃ Open Show San Francisco Green Film Festival, San Francisco CA, USA 2016
⁃ GRA, Equipment Juvenil Granollers, Barcelona, Spain 2016
⁃ Santa Clara University, San Jose CA, USA 2014
⁃ Museo Martin Gusinde, Puerto Williams, Chile 2012
⁃ Christopher Columbus Elementary School, New Haven, CT, USA 2012
⁃ Faculty of Physical Science and Mathematics Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 2011
⁃ Art and Social Science University ARCIS, Santiago, Chile 2011
⁃ Pablo Neruda Fundación, Isla Negra, Chile 2011
⁃ Casa de la Cultura, Nogales, Chile 2011
⁃ National Park Eduardo Avaroa, Bolivia 2010
⁃ UniversidadAlasPeruanas, Andahuaylas, Peru 2010
⁃ National University Jose Maria Arguedas, Andahuaylas, Peru 2010
⁃ Universidad de Bracamoros, Jaen, Peru 2010
⁃ Universidad Amazónica Puyo, Ecuador 2010
⁃ Penitentiary and Prison from Armenia INPEC, Armenia, Colombia 2010
⁃ SENA Forest Engineering, San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia 2010
⁃ Centro de Bellas Artes, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2009
⁃ Cultural Center “Los Tres Mundos”, Granada, Nicaragua 2009
⁃ Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Martha’s Vineyard MA, USA 2018
⁃ Open Show San Francisco Green Film Festival, San Francisco CA, USA 2016
⁃ GRA, Equipment Juvenil Granollers, Barcelona, Spain 2016
⁃ Santa Clara University, San Jose CA, USA 2014
⁃ Museo Martin Gusinde, Puerto Williams, Chile 2012
⁃ Christopher Columbus Elementary School, New Haven, CT, USA 2012
⁃ Faculty of Physical Science and Mathematics Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 2011
⁃ Art and Social Science University ARCIS, Santiago, Chile 2011
⁃ Pablo Neruda Fundación, Isla Negra, Chile 2011
⁃ Casa de la Cultura, Nogales, Chile 2011
⁃ National Park Eduardo Avaroa, Bolivia 2010
⁃ UniversidadAlasPeruanas, Andahuaylas, Peru 2010
⁃ National University Jose Maria Arguedas, Andahuaylas, Peru 2010
⁃ Universidad de Bracamoros, Jaen, Peru 2010
⁃ Universidad Amazónica Puyo, Ecuador 2010
⁃ Penitentiary and Prison from Armenia INPEC, Armenia, Colombia 2010
⁃ SENA Forest Engineering, San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia 2010
⁃ Centro de Bellas Artes, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2009
⁃ Cultural Center “Los Tres Mundos”, Granada, Nicaragua 2009
EDUCATION
⁃ California College of Art Oakland CA, USA Teaching Training Teaching Art Institute 2007
⁃ San Francisco Art Institute San Francisco CA, USA Film and Print Making 2004
⁃ Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, Connecticut, USA Bachelor of Science in Studio Art 1995
⁃ San Francisco Art Institute San Francisco CA, USA Film and Print Making 2004
⁃ Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, Connecticut, USA Bachelor of Science in Studio Art 1995