ORIGINS – LIFE THROUGH DEATH
2020
Cynthia Gonzalez
In this political climate, being noticeably brown is a target. Being Mexican-American in the age of Trump is a very disheartening experience. However, if we look into our peoples’ original story of how the Aztec gods created the earth, heavens, and its people; their teachings ring true. Quetzalcoatl – God of wind and knowledge, patron of the western direction, and women, Tetzcalipocalt – the deity of the north patron of elders, Xipe Totec – the divinity of the eastern direction and men, and Huitzilopochtli – the deity of youth and the southern direction; all taught us that through sacrifice the people of the fifth sun would survive and prevail. Currently, there are high race tensions and because of COVID 19 death looms over us. Now more than ever is the time to connect and honor the dead.
Before the conquest of the Spaniards to the Americas in 1521, Aztecs and Mayans had their tradition deeply intertwined and rooted with death. In this installation, I want to bring some of the focus back to the roots and traditions of my people. For the Aztecs, death meant the beginning. The old Gods sacrificed themselves to create a better life for their people just like so many Latinx people migrate and sacrifice everything for the goal of providing a better life for future generations. Traditionally, Aztecs had a twenty-day month. In the months near July and August right before the changing of the seasons, the people of the fifth sun celebrated the lives that were lost during childhood and childbirth and in the second twenty-day period they honored the lives lost from old age and war.
I want to create a space that will link the old gods to our modern interpretation by honoring the four directions and the duality of male and female energies. I want to create a space that honors the gods that came before us and bind our current traditions to them by also honoring our dead in the shared space. The materials I am using are those that are deeply embedded in the Mexican culture. I aim to elevate them into the fine arts realm by using some of the same techniques pinata makers have used for decades that celebrate the labor of the those who came before me. Traditionally, pinatas are a way of sharing wealth and why not present that as a way to share the rich Mexican culture I grew up in.
ORIGINS – LIFE THROUGH DEATH
2020
Cynthia Gonzalez
In this political climate, being noticeably brown is a target. Being Mexican-American in the age of Trump is a very disheartening experience. However, if we look into our peoples’ original story of how the Aztec gods created the earth, heavens, and its people; their teachings ring true. Quetzalcoatl – God of wind and knowledge, patron of the western direction, and women, Tetzcalipocalt – the deity of the north patron of elders, Xipe Totec – the divinity of the eastern direction and men, and Huitzilopochtli – the deity of youth and the southern direction; all taught us that through sacrifice the people of the fifth sun would survive and prevail. Currently, there are high race tensions and because of COVID 19 death looms over us. Now more than ever is the time to connect and honor the dead.
Before the conquest of the Spaniards to the Americas in 1521, Aztecs and Mayans had their tradition deeply intertwined and rooted with death. In this installation, I want to bring some of the focus back to the roots and traditions of my people. For the Aztecs, death meant the beginning. The old Gods sacrificed themselves to create a better life for their people just like so many Latinx people migrate and sacrifice everything for the goal of providing a better life for future generations. Traditionally, Aztecs had a twenty-day month. In the months near July and August right before the changing of the seasons, the people of the fifth sun celebrated the lives that were lost during childhood and childbirth and in the second twenty-day period they honored the lives lost from old age and war.
I want to create a space that will link the old gods to our modern interpretation by honoring the four directions and the duality of male and female energies. I want to create a space that honors the gods that came before us and bind our current traditions to them by also honoring our dead in the shared space. The materials I am using are those that are deeply embedded in the Mexican culture. I aim to elevate them into the fine arts realm by using some of the same techniques pinata makers have used for decades that celebrate the labor of the those who came before me. Traditionally, pinatas are a way of sharing wealth and why not present that as a way to share the rich Mexican culture I grew up in.
ORIGINS – LIFE THROUGH DEATH
2020
Cynthia Gonzalez
In this political climate, being noticeably brown is a target. Being Mexican-American in the age of Trump is a very disheartening experience. However, if we look into our peoples’ original story of how the Aztec gods created the earth, heavens, and its people; their teachings ring true. Quetzalcoatl – God of wind and knowledge, patron of the western direction, and women, Tetzcalipocalt – the deity of the north patron of elders, Xipe Totec – the divinity of the eastern direction and men, and Huitzilopochtli – the deity of youth and the southern direction; all taught us that through sacrifice the people of the fifth sun would survive and prevail. Currently, there are high race tensions and because of COVID 19 death looms over us. Now more than ever is the time to connect and honor the dead.
Before the conquest of the Spaniards to the Americas in 1521, Aztecs and Mayans had their tradition deeply intertwined and rooted with death. In this installation, I want to bring some of the focus back to the roots and traditions of my people. For the Aztecs, death meant the beginning. The old Gods sacrificed themselves to create a better life for their people just like so many Latinx people migrate and sacrifice everything for the goal of providing a better life for future generations. Traditionally, Aztecs had a twenty-day month. In the months near July and August right before the changing of the seasons, the people of the fifth sun celebrated the lives that were lost during childhood and childbirth and in the second twenty-day period they honored the lives lost from old age and war.
I want to create a space that will link the old gods to our modern interpretation by honoring the four directions and the duality of male and female energies. I want to create a space that honors the gods that came before us and bind our current traditions to them by also honoring our dead in the shared space. The materials I am using are those that are deeply embedded in the Mexican culture. I aim to elevate them into the fine arts realm by using some of the same techniques pinata makers have used for decades that celebrate the labor of the those who came before me. Traditionally, pinatas are a way of sharing wealth and why not present that as a way to share the rich Mexican culture I grew up in.
ORIGINS – LIFE THROUGH DEATH
2020
Cynthia Gonzalez
In this political climate, being noticeably brown is a target. Being Mexican-American in the age of Trump is a very disheartening experience. However, if we look into our peoples’ original story of how the Aztec gods created the earth, heavens, and its people; their teachings ring true. Quetzalcoatl – God of wind and knowledge, patron of the western direction, and women, Tetzcalipocalt – the deity of the north patron of elders, Xipe Totec – the divinity of the eastern direction and men, and Huitzilopochtli – the deity of youth and the southern direction; all taught us that through sacrifice the people of the fifth sun would survive and prevail. Currently, there are high race tensions and because of COVID 19 death looms over us. Now more than ever is the time to connect and honor the dead.
Before the conquest of the Spaniards to the Americas in 1521, Aztecs and Mayans had their tradition deeply intertwined and rooted with death. In this installation, I want to bring some of the focus back to the roots and traditions of my people. For the Aztecs, death meant the beginning. The old Gods sacrificed themselves to create a better life for their people just like so many Latinx people migrate and sacrifice everything for the goal of providing a better life for future generations. Traditionally, Aztecs had a twenty-day month. In the months near July and August right before the changing of the seasons, the people of the fifth sun celebrated the lives that were lost during childhood and childbirth and in the second twenty-day period they honored the lives lost from old age and war.
I want to create a space that will link the old gods to our modern interpretation by honoring the four directions and the duality of male and female energies. I want to create a space that honors the gods that came before us and bind our current traditions to them by also honoring our dead in the shared space. The materials I am using are those that are deeply embedded in the Mexican culture. I aim to elevate them into the fine arts realm by using some of the same techniques pinata makers have used for decades that celebrate the labor of the those who came before me. Traditionally, pinatas are a way of sharing wealth and why not present that as a way to share the rich Mexican culture I grew up in.
ARTWORK
ARTWORK
ARTWORK
