Stolen Memory
2025
New York City, USA
Climate change, Land stewardship, Community Engagement
Summary
From the Stolen Memory series, linking the high rate of political disappearances in Latin America to the same colonial processes that lead to the theft of cultural artifacts. Where bodies go missing, so does culture. This piece depicts the Gold Mochica Headdress from Peru, one of the most culturally significant artifacts from the Inca Civilization. It was recently recovered from London and repatriated to Lima, Peru, but is currently on loan at the Met.
Tairona
The Tairona Masked Figure Pendant, a symbol of Colombian heritage, serves as the focal point. Looted during the Spanish conquest and now in Switzerland, it underscores the profound cultural dislocation experienced by the Tairona people and by present-day Colombia. Through this piece, I aim to provoke contemplation on loss, the need for cultural repatriation, and the idea that where culture goes missing, people do too.
Moche:
The Gold Octopus Mochica Headdress, an artifact of immense cultural significance to the Inca civilization, is the artwork's centerpiece. Recently repatriated to Lima, Peru, from London, the artifact's journey mirrors the dislocation and subsequent reclamation of cultural identity. This piece invites reflection on cultural displacement and the importance of cultural artifacts to collective memory. Who are we when our history is taken from us?