Eau Claire Artists:
Claudia Chagoya

Meet an Eau Claire Artist: Claudia Chagoya (she/her)

The Journey Through Mictlán Itzcuintlan

cSPACE Eau Claire Residency

October 23-November 6

Artist Bio

Claudia Chagoya is an interdisciplinary artist born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and based in Calgary, Canada. She holds an MFA degree from the University of Calgary, and a BFA from Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Her artistic practice explores topics related to gender violence and her socio-political background, through the use of materials rooted in Mexican culture tied to various rituals such as: rebozos, salt, copal and sawdust.

When not working in her art, Claudia enjoys hiking and spending time with friends and family.

Artist Statement

The Journey Through Mictlán: Itzcuintlan

An immersive installation in which people discovered the origins of the Day of the Dead. Visitors learned about the first level of Mictlán, the land of the dead, by the paw of Tonalli, an endearing Xoloitzcuintle dog puppet. November 1 and 5th featured a performance of I am The Catrina by Lily Sigie. This monologue explained the traditions of the Day of the Dead and stories about Mictlán. During this residency, people also had the opportunity to participate in two different
workshops, making paper marigold flowers, and papel picado banners.

Claudia pursues values of creativity, collaboration, community, and change in all her artwork, as well as in her arts management practice. Her desire is to create meaningful connections that bring people together through art experiences.

What are your aspirations for Calgary as a Creative City?

“I would like a better connection between different communities around the city… [T]here are a lot of great things happening around town that we don’t know about: exhibitions, cultural events, and opportunities!”