Xuaca Large Bronze Sculpture + Spirit Drawings Installation
Part of Sacred Vessel Series
Large bronze sculpture. This life-sized sculpture was placed by Erin Martin Gallery. I'm honored to have had the piece among her curated works. 1 of 7 ed.
The artist immersed herself in the labor-intensive direct-casting process: binding palm fiber, willow, grapevine, and cloth to mirror muscles, bones, and skin—then dipping these organic forms in wax before casting in bronze.
Xuaca (pronounced “wha-ka”) is a sacred vessel that holds the spirit of a deceased person in an ancient Peruvian culture (Chinchorro). Family survivors make the vessel from reeds, bones, mud clay, seal skin and other rudimentary and organic materials to re-constitute the body. During the process of making this xuaca they spend time to reminisce, mourn and look forward to the spirit's enjoyment of its new resting place. Later once the spirit is comfortable in its xuaca they will be able to consult with him or her and ask for needed guidance in their everyday life.
The process of creating this bronze figure was an attempt to parallel the same process of preparing a xuaca and then to follow with the lost wax casting process typically used today for bronze. Organic materials were assembled into a fabric, dipped in wax, modeled and then cast in bronze.
In our culture, time is a precious commodity. People are generally not allowed to grieve beyond an amount of time that culture dictates. The artist was moved to execute the labor-intensive process in order to work through the death of a beloved family member in an engaging and active manner. The end result was the Xuaca/Vessel that become a permanent resting place for the beloved.
Exhibition CV upon request. (Drawings sold separately. Please inquire)
