Mabelin Castellanos Cuban, b. 1958

Mabelin Castellanos is a Cuban fiber artist based in Miami. Her delicate interpretations of quotidian life as seen from her window are often made from scrap fabrics, with both her story as an artist and fiber paintings acting as conduits for agency—namely, Castellanos’ own. Her practice is marked by self-reflection, pleasant observations, and a tender reconstructing of identity and paths to personal development through moments of strife and rebirth. Mabela’s body of work can be interpreted as a series of textile snapshots, subverting the nature of textile work by treating her sewing machine as an instrument for photography, while honoring the fleeting beauty in moments most would describe as trivial.