Hi! Welcome to Instruments of Memory. I’m Claudia Pretelin. I’m a Mexican art historian, independent curator, and arts administrator based in Los Angeles, California. This site is my long-term art history documentation project. It has evolved with time and I find myself now focusing on promoting the work of women in the arts through in-depth conversations, exhibitions, and programming with different community partners. You can learn more about me here.
Thanks for visiting!
INTERVIEWS
DON’T MISS
SARAH E. WEBB IN CONVERSATION WITH MONICA SHEETS
Be sure to catch the latest interview featuring Sarah E. Webb and artist and activist Monica Sheets.
“Monica Sheets’ artistic practice is influenced by her diverse experiences, from her upbringing in the Rust Belt city of Toledo, OH, to her years as an expatriate in the former East German city of Leipzig. Her work delves into the impact of our past narratives on our present lives, from both individual and collective perspectives,” says Webb.
Read our new interview, “Archiving Activism: A Conversation with Monica Sheets” here!
Monica Sheets is a Saint Louis-based artist who creates sculptures and installations, organizes events, and develops archives and oral histories to understand what it means to be an engaged citizen in the world beyond traditional forms of activism. Her work focuses on historiography and identity, exploring how our stories about the past play out in our lives today. Sheets was born in Toledo, Ohio, and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Her experiences in the Rust Belt (the former industrial heart of the US) were pivotal to her decision to work directly with participants. She received an MFA in Public Art and New Artistic Strategies from the Bauhaus-University Weimar, Germany.
MORE INTERVIEWS COMING UP!
A CONVERSATION WITH ELANA MANN
If you follow Instruments of Memory, you know how much we love Elana Mann’s work. Make sure to catch our upcoming conversation with the artist! In this interview, she will share insights about her background, her commitment to art and activism, the importance of sound and collectivity in her work, and details about her latest projects.
Keep an eye out for this insightful conversation between Elana Mann and Claudia Pretelin.
Elana Mann is an artist and activist who explores the power of the collective voice and the mutability of language through sculpture, sound, works on paper, and public performances. Mann’s rattles, trumpets, and other instruments are tools that galvanize the sonic energy of her work; together, they make a synergistic roar that embodies the voices of those who strive for social and environmental justice. She has participated in exhibitions and screenings at the Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla, the Orange County Museum of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, among many others.
IN 2026!
NEW EXHIBITION AT DESCANSO GARDENS
STUART ART GALLERY IN PASADENA
Natura Naturata is an exhibition co-curated by Julieta Pestarino (Argentina) and Claudia Pretelin (Mexico). It will showcase the work of eight artists from Southern California or with strong ties to the region. Influenced by nature, these artists employ modern photographic techniques to explore various themes within the natural world. Their art reflects their connection to urban and natural landscapes, spiritual introspection, desolate or delicate environments, and intricate studies of human impact on nature.
More details and a complete list of artists will be announced closer to the date!
Stay tuned for more!
Read more…
