Sarasota Art Museum presents 'Penumbra,' a solo exhibition by textile artist Maria A. Guzman Capron. The show features 10 works, including traditional wall hangings and a suspended 15-foot textile sculpture titled 'Sombra,' all exploring how identity shifts based on context and experience. Curator Lacie Barbour explains that the title refers to the penumbra—a liminal space between light and dark—serving as a metaphor for the multiplicity of identities. Capron, who was born in Milan to Peruvian and Colombian parents and later moved to Texas, draws on her own cross-cultural experiences, using hand-dyed, painted, and screen-printed fabrics to create layered portraits of multi-faceted figures.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the growing recognition of fiber and textile art within contemporary art institutions. Barbour notes that textiles have historically been marginalized due to associations with domesticity and femininity, but are now experiencing a renaissance. By showcasing Capron's work, Sarasota Art Museum actively pushes forward this revival, affirming that textile art deserves a place alongside other contemporary mediums. The show also addresses timely themes of identity, duality, and cultural hybridity, resonating with broader conversations about how personal and collective histories shape who we are.