Living Stones. Humanos series by Paula Cortazar

Patterns seem to bring a feeling of comfort to our senses: they help us decipher and process the complex living structures, lines, and shapes that surround us.
Mexican artist Paula Cortazar interprets the hidden patterns in nature, of a tree or a river, through drawing and carving on stone. These repeated actions give rise to organically shaped stone pieces, reminding us that a small fraction of the mountain is present and that each fraction of her work is a part of the whole.
The Humanos series is a collection of patterns carved on stone remains that intend to show more dignity and respect for this material. Through nature’s observation, the artist finds a graphic language that is constantly repeated and applied as a metaphor for our connection with the environment.

Stones of different shapes and textures.
Stones of different origins.
Stones dragged and shaped by the river.
Stones that are standing still for a moment.
Stones sculpted by erosion.
Living stones.

Paula Cortazar
Humanos by Paula Cortazar. 35 x 34 x 1.8 cm
Humanos by Paula Cortazar. 20 x 20 x 1.8 cm

Humanos series

Paula Cortazar: I started Humanos in 2017 and continued until 2019, passing through different variations and types of stone. My interest was to find remains from laminated stone that were used for kitchens, floors, and walls. This material is present in our daily lives as something useful and beautiful, but I was especially interested in giving more dignity and respect to the stone – as if it could relate to us in a more profound way. In a way, a small fraction of the mountain is present. That’s why I started looking for remains of this material, to make full use of what has been taken from the earth. In my process, looking for these stones is a way of rescuing them and working with them as if they were the ones who were communicating with us.

Nature’s observation

Paula Cortazar: I enjoy studying the patterns I find in nature. I begin my process by observing these shapes while going out for a hike or a walk with my dogs. Then, I start drawing and writing down my ideas, meditating on what captivated my mind. Sometimes I go back and look at the pictures I took with my cellphone. I study the shapes that caught my eye and I start to look for the material that could work. While I’m looking for the stones, I try to listen to them, just as Noguchi once said. There is a constant dialogue between me, the stone, and nature itself – sometimes the stone tells me what to do, just as it did in this series.

Humanos by Paula Cortazar. 19 x 24 x 1.7 cm
Humanos by Paula Cortazar. 30 x 30 x 1.7 cm

Stone, an entity full of wisdom

Paula Cortazar: A stone may seem like a lifeless and static object, but it is an element that is constantly changing, just like the entire planet Earth. Little by little, my view of this material has changed to a feeling that it is like an entity filled with wisdom. As if this wise being observes our short life and at one point, we become part of it. It is a reminder that we were stone and we’ll soon become stone again. But also, a metaphor of the stone as a human being and ourselves as stones. A feeling of empathy towards the elements that made us what we are and gratitude for our home. It’s something that can’t be separated from us.

Paula Cortazar: What I like the most about this material is that it is magical, fascinating, and mysterious on its own. The stone has a history I cannot fully understand, that’s why I love it. I always learn something new about it. Each stone intrigues me and I think I’ll never end up knowing them.

Words by Rita Trindade and Paula Cortazar | Photography/video Paula Cortazar