Manos que pintan, a film by
Rithwick Chary

Monica Curiel creates sculpture and collectible design through wall reliefs, furniture, lighting, and objects. Grounded in material exploration, her practice reveals the beauty, cultural significance, and design potential of familiar materials through observation, research, experimentation, design, and making.

Raised in Dallas by Mexican parents from Jalisco, Curiel was introduced to plaster, spackling paste, and construction materials while working alongside her father on construction sites. Those early experiences continue to shape her relationship to materials, providing the foundation for an evolving body of work across contemporary art and collectible design.