Alissa Alfonso

Alissa Alfonso is an American textile artist based in Miami, Florida. Working at the intersection of sculpture and fiber, Alfonso creates immersive, materially rich objects that reframe textile practice through themes of ecology, transformation, and regeneration. Her work is rooted in processes of collection and reconstitution, utilizing discarded and found materials—particularly vintage fabrics and plastic remnants—to construct intricately hand-sewn, biomorphic forms. Drawing inspiration from botanical and medicinal systems, Alfonso’s sculptures evoke flowers, fungi, and organic growth structures, functioning as both aesthetic objects and symbolic reflections on cycles of decay, healing, and renewal. Alfonso’s practice engages with the environmental and cultural implications of material use, positioning textile as a medium capable of addressing excess, waste, and sustainability. Through labor-intensive techniques of dyeing, stitching, and assemblage, she transforms overlooked materials into highly detailed sculptural compositions that oscillate between fragility and resilience. Her use of repurposed elements, including plastics sourced from coastal environments, further embeds her work within contemporary ecological discourse. While grounded in textile traditions, Alfonso expands the medium into three-dimensional space, producing works that blur the boundaries between craft, sculpture, and installation. Her compositions are often characterized by a heightened sensitivity to color, texture, and form, resulting in objects that feel simultaneously delicate and otherworldly. Positioned within a broader movement of artists reexamining fiber-based practices, Alfonso’s work contributes to ongoing conversations around materiality, environmental responsibility, and the revaluation of traditionally marginalized mediums. Her practice asserts textile as a vital and evolving language within contemporary art, capable of addressing both intimate and global concerns.