Marisa Rufino is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection of texture, memory, and time. Raised in a small coastal village in Portugal, she grew up surrounded by nature, agriculture, and traditional craftsmanship. These early influences shaped her artistic language, deeply rooted in organic materials and tactile experiences.

From an early age, Rufino realized she perceived textures in a unique way—not only through touch but as an internal, almost emotional sensation. For her, textures are not just surfaces; they are lived experiences, flowing through her like a second nature. She does not simply observe or create them—she becomes them. This profound sensitivity to materiality informs her practice, where sculpture and traditional sewing techniques merge to express the fragility of existence.

A fundamental aspect of Rufino’s work is the exploration of scale—the relationship between the macro and the micro. She delves into the smallest details of texture, understanding that within the minute, the vast is constructed. Each fiber, knot, or stitch plays a role in the formation of a greater whole, much like the accumulation of moments shapes a lifetime. This dialogue between the infinitesimal and the expansive mirrors the way memories, choices, and time weave together, forming the intricate fabric of human experience.

Coming from a family where the impermanence of life was a constant reality, Rufino’s work often reflects on the passage of time and the way choices shape our paths. Through intricate layers, knots, and voids, she materializes the tension between what is built and what is lost, between constraint and possibility. Her pieces invite the viewer to not only see but to feel—to experience texture as an echo of memory, as a mark of time, and as a language of its own.