Angelica Martínez, is a Colombian artist and ontological coach based in Berlin. Her work connects creative expression and personal development, combining embroidery and coaching as tools for reflection, connection, and growth.

Originally from Bogotá, Angelica arrived in Italy at the age of 16, where she finished high school and completed her university studies as a translator in Spanish, Italian, English, and French. Her life and work have been shaped by migration and the experience of belonging to more than one place.

After living in many European cities, she settled in Berlin in 2017. A process of self-learning in both personal and professional spheres led her to explore transformation and human development more deeply. During the 2020 lockdown, she trained as an ontological coach, a path that became central to her vocation. She now holds various postgraduate degrees in coaching and related disciplines, which shape the way she supports individuals and communities.

Around the same time, Angelica discovered embroidery, a practice that soon evolved into Lila Papaya, a project that merges artistic exploration with mindfulness and self-discovery. The name reflects both heritage and vision. Lila honors her grandmother’s name, who was also a skilled dressmaker, and evokes the calm and strength associated with the color itself. It also connects Angelica to a lineage of women in her family, including her mother, who worked with fibers and embroidery. Papaya recalls her tropical roots and the warmth of her homeland.

Lila Papaya brings together art, coaching, and education through creative workshops, reflective encounters, and the production of embroidered pieces. Each creation is unique or produced in small ecological series, often made on second-hand garments that are given new life through hand embroidery. Through this practice, Angelica explores the possibilities of renewal, sustainability, and emotional connection to what we wear.

Her work also extends beyond the finished pieces. By sharing her knowledge, Angelica invites others to experience embroidery as a mindful practice, a way to find lightness, calm, and presence through the rhythm of the needle and thread.

Today, she continues to develop Lila Papaya as a space where art, dialogue, and transformation meet. Her work explores identity, memory, and belonging, offering a contemplative perspective on what it means to create, to reconnect, and to find home across cultures.

Exhibition Description: This exhibition presents a selection of pieces that explore memory, identity, and everyday life through hand embroidery. The compositions reflect personal experiences, encounters, thoughts, and emotions gathered along the way.

The thematic thread connecting these works is the expression of Angelica’s own vision through color. She feels deeply drawn to chromatic combinations and finds great satisfaction in working with strong, vibrant fibers. Capturing the viewer’s attention and creating a sense of “chromatic pleasure” are central intentions in the making of each piece.

The most significant works in this “color soup” are three large hand embroidered banners, each created stitch by stitch in processes filled with emotion that lasted from 50 to 120 hours, depending on their size. So many hours of presence, focus, and repetitive hand movement turn these pieces into meditative acts of creation. They also carry a story.

They marched alongside Angelica during the 8M demonstrations in Berlin. These textiles have received and shared love; they have been witnesses of hugs, tears, and deep emotions among women. They are magical, unforgettable.

Angelica’s work invites the viewer to pause, to feel, and to enjoy the simple yet precious emotions that often slip through the speed of everyday life. For her, embroidery is a space of rest and silence, a moment to return to herself and to the calm rhythm of creation.

Time is at the core of her practice: every piece is a meditation on patience, presence, and the value of slowing down. Her work reminds us that there is time for everything, especially to stop and appreciate the moment.

In the end, this exhibition is a quiet invitation: to have fun by following your inspiration and trust every process.