Carlos Bautista Biernnay (Chile, 1969-.), his education includes Portland Fiber Gallery (Portland, Maine), Fashion Institute of New York (New York, New York), and Universidad Católica de Chile Diplomado en Pintura y Restauración.  

He exhibits in Chile, Brazil, New York, Maine, and C.T., such as ArtSpace New Haven, CT, Brooklyn Project Space, Stitch Gallery and Portland Fiber Gallery in Portland, Maine, Galeria Arraial d’ Ajuda Salvador de Baiha Brazil, Taller Emilio Vaisse 561 Barrio Italia Santiago Chile and others. His art is in private collections in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Washington, Brazil, Chile, and Hungary. 

Biernnay grew up enduring the hardships of the Pinochet military dictatorship in Chile. His father and grandfather died when Carlos was 4 years old. He was raised in a matriarchal family structure, where he learned to sew and watched the woman make clothing and other household items out of the necessity to be resourceful under harsh economic conditions.  

He came to the United States and was confronted by the horrors of 9/11. Much of Carlos’s work and his life have been affected by this date and the tragedy that took place both in the U.S. and in Chile. On Sept 11, 1973, a military coup took place in Chile, establishing the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Biernnay lived under that brutal dictatorship throughout his formative years until he came to N.Y. to study art, and he witnessed the fate of the World Trade Center.  

Although much of Carlos’ work is rooted in tragedy, they are ironically joyful and lush. He melds a childlike playfulness with his love of color, texture, and textiles and his absurdist perspective. He constructs dissonant compositions that include nostalgic mementos of his childhood, like Felix the Cat or a favorite dog. He frequently inserts a manipulation of his self-portrait into his quilts. 

Biernnay identifies himself as a Dadaist and sees his personal life history and the irony of 9/11 as absurd. Through this perspective, he manages to cope and express his life history and the harsh irony of 9/11. He finds a balance between joy, creativity, and obsessive love to make textile collages and absurd embroideries.  

Humans are blessed to have artists/empaths like Carlos Bautista Biernnay who are on this planet to hold a mirror to our actions, motivations, and feelings. They absorb the pain and joy, the beautiful and the ugly. Their release is to synthesize what they have collected and to create art, the reflection of humanity. These creations are opportunities for all of us to meditate, assess our perceptions and motivations, and remember our true heroes. As an absurdist, Carlos is not judgmental. His art is a touchstone that enables the viewers to think and feel for themselves.