While studying Buddhist philosophy in Asia, Cárdenas started creating lengthy handwritten calligraphy scrolls as part of her meditative practice. She soon started transforming objects and making installations with the scrolls. It was the morning ritual after long walks in the forest in Busan, South Korea and the repetitive process involving writing, sewing and assemblage – similar to saying a mantra or a prayer – that gave birth to this series: “The Quiet Thread”.
“The Quiet Thread” was curated by Sabine Casparie and it consists of scrolls, artists’ books, sculptures and installations exploring the role that art can play in bringing to light the power of “mindfulness”. Cárdenas uses Nepalese paper, Japanese ink, thread and Swedish antique sewing and weaving tools that she collected in her trips between 2014 and 2018.
MINDFUL WALK, detail of site specific installation made for solo exhibition at the Carl Jung Center in Houston, Texas. Ink drawing on Nepalese paper, handmade calligraphy scroll sewn on fabric, Feb. 2019
MINDFUL WALK, site specific installation made for solo exhibition at the Carl Jung Center in Houston, Texas. Ink drawing on Nepalese paper, handmade calligraphy scroll sewn on fabric, Feb. 2019“ABORTION IN 18 LANGUAGES” at The Grand Church of Alkmaar, Netherlands, at 100% WOMEN, Oct.2019
Detail of FINDING HER LOWER DANTIAN (下丹田, Xià Dāntián), 2019
View of FINDING HER LOWER DANTIAN (下丹田, Xià Dāntián), and Girl Rising, 2019
UNTITLED, Site specific installation, 2019
UNTITLED, Installation consisting of bridal corset and 4 ink calligraphy scroll on Nepalese paper mounted on cotton by hand-stitching, 30 x 20 x 120 cm/11.81 x 7.87 x 47 in. (w x d x l),2018
MIGRANT BOOKS
Installation consisting of 2 Swedish bibles from 1890’s, Sumi ink and handmade calligraphy.
HOMAGE TO WOMEN’S HANDS Installation consisting of Swedish antique (1800’s) wooden spool linen thread holder and 2 handmade ink calligraphy meditation scrolls on Nepalese paper hand-stitched onto cotton, 11.8 x 13 x 18 in./29 x 33 x 46 cm (w x d x h) plus 2 scrolls 60 in. long each (if open), 2018
NO MIND: Prescriptions I, Series of 15 handmade calligraphy scrolls mounted on empty antidepressant strips, 23 x 18 x 3.1 in., scrolls approx. 88 inches long each, 2016-2018I DON’T KNOW, Flax comb, flax fibers, calligraphy, thread, cotton, 8.6 x 39.4 x 3.14 in., 2018
UNTITLED, Swedish bobbin winder approx. 1920’s, old thread and calligraphy scroll mounted on cotton by hand-stitching. 8.6 x 29 x 1.9 in., 2018THOUGHTS COME AND GO, WE LET THEM, Handmade ink calligraphy scrolls on Nepalese paper mounted on cotton by hand-stitching, spool 1.6 x 4 and scroll 2.4 x 43 in., 2018
BABEL, Fiber piece made of Thai hemp, antique Spanish bible pages, Japanese ink and calligraphy scroll, 13 x 38 in., 2019. Part of a 7-piece-hanging-installation
HOMAGE TO MOTHER’S HANDS, 3 handmade ink calligraphy scrolls on Nepalese paper mounted on antique Swedish wood sewing spools, 2.3 x 4.3 x 168 in./5.8 x 10.9 x 426 cm (w x h x l), 2018
MIGRANT VESSELS, Handmade ink calligraphy scrolls on Nepalese paper, hand-stitched on cotton background and mounted on antique wood boat style weaving loom shuttles of Swedish origin, 13.3 x 1.9 x 15.7 in./33.7 x 4.8 x 40 cm ea. (w x d x h), 2018
