Gabriel Chaile coaxes poetry from bricks and eggs

The Argentine artist talks about his indigenous roots, ‘necessity engineering’, and how sculpture can be a social tool

Gabriel Chaile has made a name for himself as a sophisticated synthesist of ancient and modern traditions. The 34-year-old artist from Tucumán, in northwest Argentina, employs references ranging from Pre-Columbian cultures to Conceptualism in often-usable sculptures involving bricks, eggs, and other found objects.

For his contribution to Art Basel Cities Week in Buenos Aires in September 2018, Gabriel Chaile served empanadas from a clay portrait-sculpture that doubled as a wood-fired oven. The act was designed to bring the surrounding neighborhood together around the healing rituals of food.

At Barro’s booth in Art Basel's 2019 Statements sector, Chaile continued his extension of sculpture into social practice, drawing inspiration from the olla popular, or community pot, and cooked for visitors to the show. He will soon open his first show with Berlin’s ChertLüdde during Berlin Art Week. ‘Esta canción ya tuvo aplausos’ runs from September 13 through November 2, 2019.

Gabriel Chaile is represented by Barro, Buenos Aires, and ChertLüdde, Berlin.