Catarina Garcia

“Corrida Pelo Ponto”

Fabric, thread, speaker

Dimensions: 40x400cm

2025

The hand-sewn fabric subtly shifts in color, evoking the trance-like state induced by repetitive labor. Sharp red lines pierce through, marking moments of violent awakening. The steady hum of a sewing machine is at times interrupted—falling silent or giving way to a voice that reveals the hidden toll of the work. The artist draws from her own family history to illuminate the quiet endurance of women in the Portuguese textile industry. Her mother, who began sewing as a child in her grandmother’s factory, was once known to stitch in her sleep—a haunting image of exhaustion, discipline, and silent resilience. By weaving personal memory into collective experience, Garcia pays tribute to the unspoken sacrifices of generations past, bringing visibility to lives shaped by labor and perseverance.