My work explores the power dynamics of indigenous cultures in relation to national identity and transnationalism. Informed by the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-90s), my works function as points of reference within a woven fiber map, guiding viewers through the narratives of atrocities and displacement imposed on Mayan communities. Appropriating the forms and aesthetics of games and sports culture, I situate my work as a critical platform to examine the processes of conditioning athletes in relation to the methodology of the Guatemalan government conditioning Mayan communities. I use the vernacular of exercise equipment and workouts to illustrate the methodical violence and coercion towards communities that were annihilated. The political complexity embedded in athletes’ bodies in relation to nationalist ideologies parallels questions of dehumanization within societies. My practice emphasizes these connections in order to acknowledge and present events of atrocities in culture centered on indigenous bodies. My recent project Rhizome of Ixil (2014) is an online video game directed towards a young adults living within Guatemala and the Diaspora. I display these subjects in gallery spaces, using sculptural installations, drawings, and interactive interfaces to encourage viewers’ agency toward engaging with the material dynamics of the game.
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