Cecilia Vicuña

Through her works, Cecilia Vicuña (b. 1948) awakens the silenced voices and techniques of her ancestors, yearning for humanity’s lost connection to Earth. Her interdisciplinary installations create a ritualistic exhibition experience amplified by her holistic approach to art and activism. With her bold poetry, filmography, installations and paintings, she encourages joint action against destruction and domination.

Arch Future (archaic future) marks the debut exhibition of Chilean poet and artist Cecilia Vicuña with the gallery. Spanning over sixty years, the show brings together every element of her expansive interdisciplinary practice, including three site-specific installations — two monumental quipus and a room-size precario installation ­— alongside drawings, paintings, poetry, archival materials, sound, and film. Included are some of what the artist refers to as Lost Paintings recent recreations of paintings from the 1960s and 70s that were lost or destroyed following the Chilean military coup. The exhibition also marks the European premiere of her recent film poem, Death of the Pollinators (2021).

The title Arch Future reflects Vicuña’s sustained engagement with indigenous knowledge systems and local ecosystems as visionary, alternative forms of architecture ­— tools for imagining a more sustainable and just future.