The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College and Halsey Institute are pleased to debut Peruvian-American artist Kukuli Velarde’s CORPUS. CORPUS is comprised of ceramic and fabric works that encourage reflection on the meaning of survival in the face of colonialism. Fifteen ceramic sculptures, each with matching tapestries, will be presented in a symbolic representation of the annual Corpus Christi festival in Cusco, Perú. The sculptures reference indigenous pre-Columbian forms and iconographies in a visual representation of syncretic aesthetic, cultural, and religious traditions. CORPUS engages with and confronts Perú’s Spanish colonial past, asserting that pre-Columbian sacred entities and the worldview they inhabit were not vanquished by Spanish conquerors, but instead cleverly blended with their Catholic counterparts, ensuring their survival. So too, have the diverse peoples of Perú and greater Latin America formed and reformed political, religious, and cultural identity in the shadow of centuries-long oppression. Velarde’s CORPUS asks viewers to consider this resilience via her stunningly detailed and humorously thought-provoking work.
Mobile guide available in the museum to enrich the experience and for further exploration about the objects.
Please be aware that this exhibition contains flashing lights which may affect visitors with photosensitivity.
In the News
Colorado Springs museum to feature works by Peruvian American artist Kukuli Velarde –The Gazette
Join us Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Celebrate Kukuli Velarde: CORPUS at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College! Join in on hands-on art making activities (10 a.m.–4 p.m.) and a tour of the exhibition with the artist (2–3 p.m.). Masks are required for the artist tour.
FREE and open to the public.
About the Artist
Kukuli Velarde is a Peruvian-American artist based in Philadelphia. Velarde is a multi-talented artist, working in ceramic, painting, drawing, and installation. Much of her work draws on pre-Columbian traditional forms and iconographies, highlighting colonized and syncretic identities and aesthetic systems. Velarde received a BFA from Hunter College in New York City. She is the recipient of such awards as the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship (2015), Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant (2012), and Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant (1997). Her work can be found in the collections of Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Lima, Lima, Perú; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, among many others.
Learn more about Velarde at kukulivelarde.com
Image at left: Patrón Santiago, 2012
Low fire clay, underglazes, casein paint, gold leaf. 33 x 19.3 x 10.45 in.
Inspired by work from the Tiwanaku culture (Bolivia)
All images courtesy the artist.
Images:
San Cristóbal, 2012, Low fire clay, underglazes, casein paint, gold leaf, gold luster. 32h x 17.35d in., Inspired by work from the Nazca culture (Peru)
San José y El Niño, 2017, Low fire clay, underglazes, casein paint, gold leaf. 27 x 22 x 14 in., Inspired by work from the Chancay culture (Peru)
Patrón Santiago, 2012, Low fire clay, underglazes, casein paint, gold leaf. 33 x 19.3 x 10.45 in., Inspired by work from the Tiwanaku culture (Bolivia)
Details
Hours
Wednesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Admission includes entrance to all other galleries in the museum.
Tickets
| FAC Members | Non-member adults | Military & Seniors (55+) | Students & Teachers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $10 | $5 | Free |
Sponsors
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant for Southwest Arts & Culture
