Maria de la O Garrido uses motion capture to generate digital creatures that can be placed within different physical environments through augmented reality. Using the potato as a symbol of people and migration, the work draws on its history of movement across cultures and continents to explore themes of identity, displacement and belonging.

Through these digital forms, the artist considers how bodies and identities can inhabit, adapt to and transform new spaces. Large-scale collages and an accompanying sound piece bring together physical and virtual landscapes.

Part of Memory Library, 14–21 November 2026. Find out more here.

Artist Bio:

I am a Spanish artist who has been living in the UK for the past 13 years. I completed my BA in Fine Arts and pursued a Master’s in Photography, Practices, and Philosophies at Central Saint Martins University. It was during this time that my approach to image became increasingly multidisciplinary and conceptually expansive, integrating photography and collage in a sculptural manner while also incorporating video and performance into my artistic practice.

The generation and use of archives play a vital role in my work, which primarily focuses on analysing elements of my environment that capture my interest and transforming them to create new meanings.

My artistic practice is particularly drawn to the social and political dimensions of art, as well as the unrealised potential within various communities. From a female perspective, I explore themes of migration, identity, sustainability, and belonging, considering how personal and collective experiences are shaped by social, cultural, and political contexts. Believing in the transformative power of art, especially in today’s world, I continuously explore ways to create connections, question established narratives, and develop new forms of resistance through my work.