My work explores the intricate relationship between memory and information, focusing on how personal experiences can be processed and transcribed into visual forms. Using a meticulous, almost surgical approach—employing scalpels and tweezers—I transform specific memories into abstract bitmaps that reflect themes of cultural identity, time, and the repetitive nature of disciplinary actions and physical punishment.
I view memory not as a static record but as a fluid process of reconstruction. By abstracting personal and migratory experiences, I aim to capture the shifting and evolving nature of identity. Through these visual transformations, I explore how memories adapt over time, mirroring both personal and cultural change. The patterns and textures in my work convey individual experiences while resonating with broader societal themes, including the ritualistic aspects of discipline and the lasting impact of migration.
The materiality of paper is integral to my practice, serving as both a medium and a metaphor for memory's fragility and resilience. Working with sculpted cotton paper, I emphasize the tactile process of reconstructing fragmented recollections
Born in San Vicente, El Salvador, 1989.
Resides and works in Birmingham, UK.
Education
Fine Arts, Universidad Nacional de Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2011-2016.
Art Restoration and Cultural Heritage Conservation, Universidad Nacional de Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2011-2016.
Estudios Independientes V, Chile, 2024 - 2025.
Solo shows
2018 Intimate Spaces, Flat8 Gallery, Birmingham, UK.
2021 One by one to one million, 24 - 25 June, Birmingham, UK.
Group shows
2016 Lo Otro, Borde, Buenos Aires.
2019 La Piel Hacia Afuera, Borde, Buenos Aires.
2019 Something’s Brewing, 8 - 9 August, Attic Brewery, Stirchley, UK.
2021 Ikon for artists, 17 - 31 May, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK.
2021 A4, 13 November 2021 - 9 January 2022, Oddball Space, Birmingham, UK.
2022 Mutant Materialities, July, Asylum Artist Quarter, Wolverhampton, UK.
2023 Los Futuros del Lenguaje, March, Catalysta, Santo Domingo, DR.
2023 el blanco va de fondo, May 6 - July 27, Piramidón Centre D’Art Contemporani, Barcelona.
2023 Catalysta Pop-UP, December 16, Miami, FL.
2024 Group Exhibition, January, San Salvador, ES.
Residencies
Flat8 Gallery, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 2018-2019.
Piramidón Centre D’Art Contemporani, Barcelona, May-June 2022.
Piramidón Centre D’Art Contemporani, Barcelona, March-May 2023.
Read
Flat 8 New concept of art apartment arrives in Birmingham. https://ruthmillington.co.uk/flat-8-art-apartment-arrives-in-birmingham/
Anything but flat. An other-realmly food-based art experience. https://ichoosebirmingham.com/anything-flat
Mau Samayoa: A4 artist spotlight. https://www.oddballspace.com/post/mau-samayoa-a4-artist-spotlight
Fairs
MECA 2024, Santo Domingo, DR.
Art on Paper 2024, NYC, USA.
Prizes
Pardon Prize 2024
Collections
Wolfson College, University of Oxford, UK.
Pardon Collection, USA.
Contact
art@mausamayoa.com
56-58 Spencer Street, Unit 10
Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, B18 6DS
UK
In El Salvador:
Matia Borgonovo
matiaborgonovos@gmail.com