Natalia Arbelaez
Natalia Arbelaez is a Colombian-American ceramic artist and sculptor, born and raised in Miami, Florida, to Colombian immigrant parents. Her work is deeply connected to her cultural heritage and explores themes of identity, migration, family history and belonging.
Working primarily with ceramics and figurative sculpture, Arbelaez draws inspiration from pre-Columbian South American art, Latin American traditions and contemporary popular culture. Her pieces often combine historical references with playful, surreal and sometimes cartoon-like elements, creating a distinctive visual language that feels both personal and universal.
An important part of her practice is exploring histories that have often been overlooked, particularly those of Latin American and Indigenous cultures and women of colour. Even her choice of materials carries meaning: she has used terracotta and Majolica glaze to examine ideas surrounding colonisation and cultural identity.
Arbelaez was recognised as an NCECA Emerging Artist in 2018 and has held residencies at institutions including Harvard University and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Her work is held in collections including the Everson Museum of Art, Museum of Arts and Design, Fuller Craft Museum, ICA Miami and Gardiner Museum. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Ceramics at the University of Washington
Working primarily with ceramics and figurative sculpture, Arbelaez draws inspiration from pre-Columbian South American art, Latin American traditions and contemporary popular culture. Her pieces often combine historical references with playful, surreal and sometimes cartoon-like elements, creating a distinctive visual language that feels both personal and universal.
An important part of her practice is exploring histories that have often been overlooked, particularly those of Latin American and Indigenous cultures and women of colour. Even her choice of materials carries meaning: she has used terracotta and Majolica glaze to examine ideas surrounding colonisation and cultural identity.
Arbelaez was recognised as an NCECA Emerging Artist in 2018 and has held residencies at institutions including Harvard University and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Her work is held in collections including the Everson Museum of Art, Museum of Arts and Design, Fuller Craft Museum, ICA Miami and Gardiner Museum. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Ceramics at the University of Washington
Artworks on HAGD Collect
Public
Natalia Arbelaez
Public
Natalia Arbelaez