VESTIGIUM TECTONA GRANDIS (VTG)
My artwork serves as a reflection of my personal journey, adventures, and lifestyle. Constantly seeking new avenues of expression, I find it challenging to confine my work to a single technique. Through painting, drawing, photography, macrame, and more, I explore a common theme: VTG, or Vestigium Tectonca Grandis.
VTG represents my most significant project to date, spanning eight years of dedicated exploration. It centers around the use of natural pigment extracted from the Tectona Grandis Tree. Each element of VTG holds symbolic significance: "V" evokes vestiges, veins, versatility, vagina, while "T" references to time, transformation, Tectona. "G" is for Grandis, Garcia, expressing gratitude and honoring my maternal lineage.
My exploration to find and create VTG began in India in 2014 after coming back from an Art Residency, where I was transformed and introduced to an amazing technique. Upon my return to Colombia, my native country, I experienced with various plants until discovering the rich tones offered by the Teak leaf. This plant gave me the tone that I was searching for. In 2016 I traveled to La Pintada, Colombia to a teak crop, to create my monumental work on Dacron fabric, measuring 197 feet (60 meters) long by 59 inches (150 cm) wide.
VTG serves as my umbilical cord to my mother, a connection to the Universe, and a testament to my relationship with Earth and life itself. It embodies my innermost thoughts and triumphs, serving as a conduit for my creative expression.
I capture VTG in diverse settings through photography, translating it onto canvas and paper, allowing it to guide my artistic path. VTG remains a recurring motif in my work, symbolizing continuity and interconnectedness across my artistic journey.