Mesoamerica, a study in the relationship of food and power

Within the confines of this artistic focus, I am exploring the relationship between the dominance of political corruption and it’s affects on the availability of human commodities in the form of life's necessities through a multitude of symbolic artifacts, more specifically, corn, city organization and structure, trade routes, disease, the connectivity of cultural constraints through the design of woven elements, as well as the obsession those in power have with the control of wealth in gold. Each piece in this ever-expanding collection has also been an exploration of familial ties within a Mesoamerican context. The panels characteristically represent my own journey in comprehending connections with immediate and extended family whose heritage is greatly defined by their Mayan and Aztecan native roots. No work in this series is taken directly from any particular piece of traditional art, rather my process is more of an intuitive representation inspired by my passion for ancient anthropological history, research, ancestry, and my fascination for this region. This is an ever-expanding collection of art pieces inspired, but not directly replicated, by a Mesoamerican theme.

Aztecan Prayer For Corn “[The Aztecs] had prayers for many, many things. We are fortunate that many people were interested in the prayers of the Aztecs and they were copied down in the hundred years or so after the conquest.” This prayer is an excerpt taken from one offered prior to planting their crops. Prayer courtesy of Mexicolore.