La Dualidad
La Wayaka Current, Chile. October 2024.
Exploring the dualities of Catholicism and indigenous spiritual practices.
Fire. Ice Sculpture Intervention.
Earth. Clay sculpture intervention.
Water. Flora sculpture intervention.
La Dualidad is an ongoing research driven project that delves into the intersections of Catholicism, indigenous spiritual practices, personal heritage and landscape. Beginning with explorations into my Catholic French and Scottish heritage, the research has expanded to explore the deeply conflicting dualities between Catholicism and indigenous spiritual practice across the globe. The works presented combine site specific responses through sculpture, drawing and collaborative artwork, inviting the audiences to engage with themes of memory, identity and resilience.
Air. Sand sculpture intervention.
The fire of the sun melts the ice
The clay is buried back into the earth
The flora of the garden floats back to the water
The sand is breathing back into the air
Background
Developing a deeper connection to my ancestral lands has brought me closer to the spiritual essence of faith in my life. Catholicism flows through my French heritage like a lifeline, impossible to ignore. While I don’t actively practice or adhere to the religion, I find myself curious about the beliefs of my ancestors and the connection to them through this shared faith. When I arrived in the vast, open expanse of the Atacama Desert, with the sun bearing down and my eyes stinging from its brightness, I was struck by the Catholic iconography around me. A profound discomfort settled in, knowing the brutal history of the Spanish Catholic conquest here; especially the atrocities and lives lost in the name of the same religion that I had instinctively connected to.
How can I reconcile my faith in the face of such violence? This understanding of duality; holding multiple truths at once became the foundation for these works.
La Dualidad Drawings
Exploring duality through medium. Suspending natural elements in ice, letting the earth produce the drawing.
Further Development
La Dualidad aims to deepen its engagement with global communities, exploring new regions where similar dualities exist. This body of work is ongoing and looking for new partners for collaboration.