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2023.10 Alex Ahug Obras Estudio-162.jpg

My interdisciplinary practice as a textile sculptor, installation creator, and performer seeks to engage the spectators with my work through the touch of the senses. My sculptures come alive through performance, they touch the audience making them interact in return, creating a wide range of thoughts and emotions in the process.

This is the reason I like calling my artwork “living sculptures”; like any other living creature, my sculptures have their own personality, emotions, and distinct story, they even have their own voice. I like seeing my art as emotional healing tools. I tell stories of impactful narratives that address social issues, necessary to reclaim collective humanity in an increasingly polarised world.

I explore the “Weltschmerz” (world pain) which includes themes such as war, mental health, climate change, and feminist struggle, to create a connection not only between viewers and my work but between an already fragmented society. Consequently, my sculptures transcend mere artistic expression; they are deliberate interventions in current social discourses.

In the Hug Stations series, conceived during the quarantine, discarded fabrics and garments take shape to bid a final farewell to those who couldn’t do so, consoling the souls left grieving.

In “War Hits All,” a wrecking ball made from sniper gloves, I study the concept of dissociation from the distance in war, inviting viewers to confront their passive, active, or nonexistent involvement in distant conflicts. Through the immersive performance that engages as innocently as children’s play, spectators are drawn into the meaning of these works, which become tools for introspection and processing.

The exploration of abandoned objects as material for my creations serves as a common thread throughout my artistic work, revealing profound stories about their former owners. Immersed in what some label as “trash,” I breathe new life into these objects, creating a tangible record of human presence.

My experience as a fashion designer was necessary to understand, read, and work with the clothes that I recreate in sculptures. Transitioning from designer to artist has been necessary for my evolution toward a more purist and deeper approach in my line of work. This shift has signified a commitment to a more profound approach as well as a visceral connection of my artwork with my core values as a human being.

As an artist, I believe my responsibility is to highlight these issues, reflecting the current situation in our world. I aspire for my voice to go beyond, acting as a catalyst for change and inspiration that fosters unity among the younger generations, leading them to adopt more sustainable practices in their daily lives.

For me sculptures possess a unique ability to encapsulate stories of the past, serving as transformative catalysts for change, bridging what was once divided and offering hope in an increasingly disconnected world. This ongoing journey invites exploration of the threads of emotion, sustainability, and social reflection interwoven in my artistic practice.

I invite you to explore the tactile world within my living sculptures, where art transforms into a tool for societal connection. Engage with the intricate fibers, unravel connections, and delve into the urgent themes woven into each piece. This immersive journey allows art to transcend observation, sparking profound engagement and reflection.

Artist statement

CV

ALEX HUG

Born in 1989 in Madrid, ES.

Lives and works between Madrid, ES and Berlin, GER

EXHIBITIONS & PERFORMANCES

 

2024 WELTSCHMERZ, Intrinsic Studio, Madrid, ES

2024 DYS(U)TOPIA, Cantieri del Contemporaneo, Venezia, IT

2023 RE-CONNECT with Nature, Matadero, Madrid, ES

2023 PROTECTION NO LONGER ASSURED, Colección SOLO, Madrid, ES

2022 RE-CONNECT at Botanical Forms, Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporánia, Valencia, ES

2022 CERTEZA: La Introducción, Colección SOLO, Madrid, ES

2022 UP-CYCLING, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, ES

2021 BIG HUG Opening WELCOME Performance for Drawing Room Festival, APERTURA Madrid Gallery Weekend, Madrid, ES

2020-21 STILL HUMAN. A reflection on how we react to what´s new, Colección SOLO, Madrid, ES

COMMISSIONS

2022-24 Putochinomaricón, Madrid, ES

2023 LO QUE PASA MIENTRAS, Basque Country, ES

2022 The One Nike Jersey, Nike / Sprinter, A HUG, Madrid, ES

2021 Adidas / Real Madrid, A HUG, Madrid, ES

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

2016-22 Director and founder, A HUG, Madrid, ES

2020-21 Director and founder, ReDesign Stocks, Berlin, GER

GRANTS AND AWARDS

2024 Winner Fiber in 3D by Fiber Art Now!, USA

2024 99 Future Blue-Chip Artist, London, UK

2024 Merit Awart by HelvetArt, CH

2024 Finalist We Art Open, Venezia, IT

2021 Finalist Green Concept Award, Madrid, ES

2018 New Designers Award, NEO2 by Sancal, Madrid, ES

2014 AdGraduate Fashion Week, London, UK

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2022-onwards MA “Diseño Experimental” Professor at IADE Design School, IADE, Madrid, ES

2019-onwards BA “Proyecto Up-cycling / BA Construcción Up-cycling / BA Sustainability and Social Approach” Professor at European Institute of Design, IED, Madrid, ES

LECTURES

2023 Las Barreras en el Mundo del Arte, Intrinsic Studio, Madrid, ES

2023 Hackathon de Moda Sostenible, MADRID CIRCULAR, Madrid, ES

2023 De la salita al museo: el gran salto adelante del arte textil contemporáneo, MBFWM, Madrid, ES

2023 MadBlue Impact Summit, COAM, Madrid, ES

2022 Trapitos_001, Casabanchel, Madrid, ES

2022 Up-cycling Lecture, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, ES

2021 Diálogo Remake, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, ES

2021 Contemporary & Urban Art. Who cares?, Urvanity, Madrid, ES

2020 Up-cycling, Slow Fashion Festival, Madrid, ES

2019 B.I.T. Event Madrid, GBSB GLOBAL, Drawing Room, Madrid, ES

WORKSHOPS

2024 Upcycling for Dummies, IED, Madrid, ES

2024 Upcycling Zero-Waste, ACME, Madrid, ES

2023 Topcitos Para Todxs, La Tabakalera, Basque Country, ES

2022 Up-cycling Workshop, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, ES

2021 Up-cycling Workshop, Re Moda - 21 Distritos, Madrid, ES

COLLECTIONS

2023 Anonymous Private Collector, Madrid, ES

2023 Anonymous Private Collector, Madrid, ES

2022 The Roux Collection, Panamá City, PA

2020 Colección SOLO, Madrid, ES

EDUCATION

2017-18 MA of Arts in Sustainability in Fashion at ESMOD, Berlin, GER

2011-14 BA in Fashion Design from Marangoni Institute, London, UK

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

2010-11 Fashion Folio at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London, UK

2009-10 Parsons Foundation, Paris, FR

2007-11 Courses in Central Saint Martins, London, UK

pdf files

ARTIST
PORTFOLIO

PRESERVATION & REVIVAL

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