Ana Montoya

Botanical sculptor | Marseille, France

Compositions to contemplate on the natural world

Ana turned to art through her discovery of indigenous textile crafts in the Amazon
She explores time and transformation by working with natural materials at the end of their cycle
Her creative process often begins with a walk in nature to collect materials

Ana Montoya is a botanical sculptor, originally trained as an anthropologist. She discovered textile crafts in the Amazon through indigenous communities and their deep relationship with nature. She studied weaving in New York before furthering her training in textile arts at Barcelona’s Escola Massana. "A turning point came when I started to integrate natural elements gathered from my surroundings into my woven works, leading to where I am today," she explains. Since 2017, Ana has been transforming materials such as eggshells and silk cocoons that are at the end of their lifecycle into textured compositions that invite us to slow down and pay attention to the rhythms of nature. Based in Marseille but still deeply connected to the mountains of Colombia, Ana finds inspiration in landscapes and local resources. Her work carries an environmental message: to remind us of the fragile beauty of the natural world and to stand for its preservation.

Interview

©Ana Montoya

©Ana Montoya

What techniques define your practice?: I mainly work with collage. I dry my materials and, if necessary, I freeze them, then I arrange and fix them. Since I use a wide variety of materials and supports, I constantly have to find different solutions to treat and assemble each element according to its characteristics.
How does your environment shape your process?: I often begin by walking, in the Marseille calanques or in the mountains of Colombia, to collect materials at the end of their cycle. Each place guides me differently, whether with sea urchin spines or annatto seeds, and then in the studio I transform them into compositions that reflect these natural rhythms.
In what sense is this a form of innovation?: My work does not really rely on a traditional craft. Each piece is already a form of innovation. For me, contemporary innovation means constantly rethinking shapes, materials and techniques to create something new and personal.
What surprises people most when they encounter your work?: People are often surprised that my pieces are made from materials they know and have seen thousands of times. Some are familiar and precious to them, while others were considered waste, and they are astonished to see them transformed into something beautiful.

Ana Montoya is a rising star: she began her career in 2017