Trellises II, grape trellises and dirt from various locations, compacted

California-based Patricia E. Rangel is a sculptor and installation artist who is interested in agricultural constructs. In her sculptural practice, Patricia works with natural buildings materials including wood and collected soil.

A Race Horse That Has Never Won a Race, brass, steel, 14-karat gold, dirt from Smith Mountain Cemetery

I enjoy the way Patricia’s works take on the color and aesthetic of the Californian valley terrain where the artist gathers many of her materials. The necessarily earthy, brown and neutral colors call to mind unearthed ruins or ancient dwellings.

Patricia's art website, www.patriciarangelstudio.com

As we discussed in our previous feature of Patricia E. Rangel, her works express a tension between human intervention and natural formation – similar to the works of Dineo Seshee Bopape. I like the way Patricia has titled the galleries in her portfolio, using terms such as “foundation,” “rebuilding,” and “extracting.” These evocative naming conventions associate the works more with processes and activities than static objects, making them seem on the way to being fully formed. 

Bricks, dirt and cement