Welding course for women. Interview. TMDC; Barcelona

The Metal Woman

Every day, more and more women are venturing into manufacturing. There's still a long way to go until we reach parity, but at least it's no longer so new that a female carpenter or blacksmith has made that piece of furniture or object you take home.

Silvina Soria

Since 2023, we've offered a metal workshop at TMDC exclusively for women. With Silvina, we've found the perfect teacher! Her experience in manufacturing and art offers other women the opportunity to discover this world of metalworking. We're grateful to have her, and we hope her passion inspires other women to overcome their fear and resolve their doubts in a field dominated by men.

"[...] knowing the materials, the possibilities they offer, and the working techniques gives us the freedom we need to then unleash our creativity."

— Silvina Soria

TMDC: How did you get into the world of metalworking? Tell us a little about yourself and your work.

Silvina: When I finished the School of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, having worked with different materials and techniques, I found an introductory welding course offered by a well-known sculptor in Argentina, whose work I admired. That was my first step: three months of experimenting with different welding processes and discovering the potential of metal. I liked it so much that I enrolled at U.O.C.R.A. (Union of Construction Workers of the Argentine Republic), where I received intensive training in welding and metalwork. Although my background was artistic and this center was technical and industrial, it seemed to me to be the best place where I could learn the ins and outs of the trade in depth. I always tell my students that knowing the materials, the possibilities they offer, and the working techniques gives us the freedom we need to unleash our creativity. Regarding my work, the search for subtlety in sculpture has led me to create drawings in space, three-dimensional drawings, using steel rods, wires, threads, cables, and reeds. Materials that allow me to use different approaches to think about volume, space, and site-specific installations. Likewise, on different scales, I have a silver jewelry line that allows me to explore sculpture from a different perspective.

What moment in your career has marked your trajectory?

Not just one, but several moments that have marked my trajectory. One of them was when I left Argentina in 2009, going straight to an artist residency in Paris for three months. That was very moving. There, I was faced with creating without the physical structure I had in Argentina, and my drawings in space began to take on a different meaning. Then, 2018 was a very special year. I participated in two artist residencies in Spain. The first one lasted four weeks alone in a farmhouse, practically isolated, challenging myself to work with the materials I found there. The second, in San Joan de Penyagolosa. Two opportunities in which I worked on Land Art that opened a door of connection and dialogue with nature, generating new questions beyond my 3D Maps, which are more industrial in nature and reflect the labyrinths of urban life.

Can you describe a project you're particularly proud of and what makes it special for you?

While I have a very close relationship with my work, I can highlight two in particular. One in metal: "Unrooted," from the 3D Maps Series, which even when I look at it, I'm surprised by the complexity of the structure. And the other is my stone labyrinth in San Joan de Penyagolosa: "Peregrinaje," from the Interior Territories Series. This has been very important for me. Not only because of the type of work, breaking into the style I was working in, into my urban, metal-mad life, but also because while there, I decided to leave my life of almost ten years in London and move to Valencia.

"At some point, it's like challenging the rules of a material that at first glance seems imposing, strong, and resilient, until you manage to master it and transform it into drawings in space."

What do you enjoy most about working with metal and what are you passionate about?

One of the things I enjoy most about working with metal is its versatility and the flexibility of its hardness, which allows me to create resistant structures while exploring the subtlety of volume and spatiality. At some point, it's like challenging the rules of a material that at first glance seems imposing, strong, and resilient, until you manage to master it and transform it into drawings in space. I think what keeps me passionate about metal is precisely its malleability and the creative potential it holds, those infinite possibilities it gives me to create.

Have you had any mentors or role models in the metal industry? How have they influenced your approach to your craft and career?

My welding teacher was It was very important in my training. Over the years, I realized how much it supported me in my learning process in that very masculinized world. Later, I had the opportunity to meet many artists whose work I admire, and each one has brought me different nuances of metalworking. It would be difficult to choose just one or two.

"From my point of view, it's an opening, and at the same time, a rupture that encourages us to question pre-established models or structures that didn't give us the freedom to choose."

Female welders who worked in factories during World War II. They were known as Rosie-the-Riveter.

How would you describe the presence of women in this metal sector? Do you see any trends?

Fortunately, more and more women are joining the metal world. From my point of view, it's an opening, and at the same time, a rupture that encourages us to question pre-established models or structures that didn't give us the freedom to choose. In response to your question, yes, I think it's a trend, a reflection of women's empowerment.

Are there any challenges or advantages you've experienced as a woman in the metalworking world compared to your male counterparts?

I think the biggest challenges I've experienced as a woman in the metalworking and welding field have been prejudice.

How do you think the metalworking industry has evolved over the years, especially for women?

I think it's about reclaiming spaces. Putting aside historical and contextual differences, during World Wars I and II, many women were called upon to work in industries to meet the demand for labor while men were on the front lines. This represented a significant shift in the perception of gender in the workplace. It gave women the opportunity to work in fields previously considered exclusively male, proving to be highly skilled and capable in welding jobs. However, when men returned at the end of the wars, many women were fired or pressured to leave their jobs and return them to men. In 2005, when I studied at U.O.C.R.A., I was the only woman in a group of men, and I must admit it wasn't a very easy experience. Even going to buy metal was a bit of a challenge. Today, worldwide, more women are entering the metal industry, and industries are more open to incorporating them. Still, there's still a lot of ground to be covered.

Are there any misconceptions or misconceptions about women in metalworking that you've encountered? How did you address them?

If there are any misconceptions about women in metalworking, I'd say they're based on some prejudices that still persist. It's true that it can be a somewhat physically demanding process and requires some strength (not exclusive) and manual dexterity, but it also depends on the type of design and dimensions, planning, strategy, and attention to detail. All necessary skills for metalworking. So the best way to approach it, women, is to not be distracted by misconceptions that don't apply to us, and to remain focused on our projects and producing. After all, the work speaks volumes. Either way, it's necessary to promote visibility and inclusion, as well as provide support and opportunities for women to explore the craft.

What advice would you give to women interested in pursuing a career in the metal industry?

Go for it! Don't be afraid, because it's a fascinating world that draws you in as soon as you enter. And I say this with many years of experience as a sculptor and observation as a teacher. I know that sometimes the machinery we use, the noise, the sparks, or the hot metal can be a little intimidating. However, it's just a matter of respecting them, monitoring safety measures, and using personal protective equipment, but not fear. You have to be 100% present in the workplace.

"In many aspects of life, women have been led to believe things that don't necessarily have to do with reality."

What is it like to teach metal workshops just for women? Is there any difference that could attract more women to try this field?

It's spectacular; it's a very powerful energy. When I received TMDC's proposal to teach a women-only course, I loved the idea. I don't know if I saw the specific need because, fortunately, things have changed a lot since I studied at UOCRA. In other courses I teach, men and women coexist perfectly, and the work is very good. Now, talking to my TMDC students, I realize how necessary it was. Being a women-only group, they feel less inhibited and more contained, with fewer obstacles to asking questions and exploring. All of this has made me reflect on the importance of promoting metal education for women and defending these spaces. In many aspects of life, women have been led to believe things that don't necessarily have to do with reality. They're subtle forms of power control. I don't want to go down that path anyway. Creating with metal and the technical challenge of building your own design objects or sculptures generates great personal satisfaction and is an experience that also allows us to break down preconceived ideas about what we can and can't do. And yes, we can do it!

Link to the interview: https://www.tmdc.es/blog/mujer-de-metal