charcoal, soft pastel, gold leaf, brass, and basalt on linen
Description
Human-crafted. AI-refined.
Emilia Estrada's "Al-Bakri" from the "Andalucia" series features intricate geometric patterns and organic forms in muted earth tones, highlighted by touches of gold. The artwork incorporates a central swirling motif resembling a celestial map or landscape. Estrada's style blends archival referencing with artistic abstraction, using layered textures and mixed media. This work reflects her exploration of cultural narratives, emphasizing the persisting impact of colonial displacement and cartography's power in shaping historical and territorial perceptions. ...
Uncovering hidden histories and overlooked memories, Emilia Estrada examines themes of occupation and displacement. She critiques cartography’s function as a tool of erasure and domination, questioning Western scientific objectivity. Through detailed drawings and installations, Estrada weaves poetic elements with archival materials, revealing the symbolic frameworks that shape territorial imaginaries and the ways history and collective narratives are constructed and preserved. Her process involves collecting technical drawings, maps, and archival documents that trace the migratory flows and displacements central to the history of Latin America. These materials are reworked into fragmented, archaeological-style drawings that disrupt traditional ideas of “discovery,” proposing instead imaginative reconstructions and alternative world-building. By highlighting the gaps and contradictions within dominant historical accounts, Estrada’s work encourages viewers to question established narratives surrounding land, identity, and belonging, fostering a more nuanced understanding of cultural memory and historical representation. ...
