In February of 2025, internationally known Venezuelan textile artists Eduardo Portillo and María Dávila brought an experimental approach to their GAPP residency, combining fiber and glass, softness and solidity. Influenced by studies in China, India, and at home in Venezuela, Portillo and Dávila are recognized for their intricate, multi-fiber weavings — explorations of deep connections between people and places, materials and time.

Working with TMA glass artists, Portillo and Dávila integrated glass into their work, creating solid, transparent structures interwoven with fibers, generating a complex dance of materials, light and shadows. As GAPP Artists in Residence, their exploration of interconnectedness was reflected in studio work, demonstrations, and their Artist Talk, exchanges woven between themselves, the TMA glass team and visitors.

A dynamic force in connecting artists and communities from around the globe, GAPP creates unique opportunities for visitors to engage with creative ideas as they take shape in real time — bridging contemporary art, craft and design within one of the country’s premier glass programs.