tierra del fuego

Selk'nams. 1923 Photography by Martin Gusinde The Tierra del Fuego series is inspired by the traditional coming of age initiation ceremony once held by the Selk’nam people from Tirerra del Fuego, a group of islands between Chile and Argentina. The Selk’nam became extinct in 1966 and what we know about them and their rituals comes from photographs taken many years before by Martin Gusinde in 1923. Body paint (Dots and lines) were an essential part of their life. They had designs for hunting, war, peace meetings and shamanistic performances. My series is inspired by these designs. The crackling texture of these pieces seeks to reflect the hostile climate and conditions of the geographic region where the Selk’nam lived.