Pachamama (Mother Earth) Soft Sculpture, 2024, Graphite, Acrylic, Threads, Natural Elements, and Fabric on Iron stand. 30x20x20 in.

The Pachamama is a deity whose interpretations in my experience are unlike those of Mother Earth in Western cultures. Mother Earth is portrayed as female because she is something to be “dominated” and “controlled.” This has never been my experience. In Andean culture, she is all-powerful. She rewards us for taking care of her and punishes us for taking too many of her gifts. She is the mother of agriculture, natural wonders, and earthquakes. As a South American immigrant, I feel it’s important for me to show my heritage through a powerful female figure who we respect and who is part of our history and traditions. I and many others believe the symbolism of Mother Earth is relevant today, and that our planet deserves the reverence that my ancestors and many indigenous communities today still give to it.