Art Installation

“Aftermath”

Venice Biennale -2024

ECC/European Culture Centre - "Personal Structures" - April 20th to Nov 26th 

The installation consists of a series of Obelisk Crystals embodying Earth, Water & Sun, conveying a vital message: we must act now to create a foundation for a possible positive future. Aftermath is a consequential study in discarded materials that we humans leave behind, questioning the viewer – What will happen Next? How will the Earth regenerate? What comes out of the Ashes?

These are questions that Soledad illuminates through her installation. Transforming waste into a thought-provoking expression, consisting of 130 sculptures incorporating detritus of a contemporary civilization searching for a way not to extinguish itself. Evoking the ethereal ambiance of a crystal cave, the experience transports you into a realm once untouched by human interference, now transformed by the encroachment of our waste, which has overtaken the natural inclusions within the crystalline formations. Aftermath is a stark reminder of the effect of consumption, accelerating climate change on our vital Gaia.

Soledad collected all the materials encapsulated in the installation during months of coastal foraging, from blue mussels in Maine to beach waste cleaning in Miami with the Surfrider Foundation - dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans - as well as discarded rubbish from her own home. This is how she sees the world today; we live in a juxtaposition between beauty and decay. 

Drawing on the Artist’s experience as a gemologist and geology, combined with her background in jewelry, she incorporates recycled gold flakes and brass nuggets, materials with a rich history of repurposing by humanity across centuries. The Obelisk depiction, dating back to ancient Egypt and symbolizing the Sun God Ra, pays homage to the celestial source of life. Embedded within some of the crystals are messages, echoing the phenomenon of "viral quotes" popularized during the recent pandemic, prompting reflection on their perception and impact.

Each Obelisk Crystal is cast in several layers, created by hand with biodegradable, environmentally friendly epoxy. Natural pigments were used to tint them, ochre and burnt umber from quarries in Roussillon, France and Indigo from Santa Barbara, USA.

 ECC Award Nominated 2023 for the Venice Architecture Biennale 

Photos - Celia D. Luna