A monumental performance armor and wall-bound sculpture named after the legendary 16th-century indigenous Colombian warrior woman. Hand-forged from overlapping plates of torched steel, the work wraps the body in a protective, animalistic carapace resembling reptilian scaling or ancestral armor. The rigid structure climbs the spine and contours the neck, physically shielding half of the face to manifest an intense psychological state of defiance, survival, and guarded trauma. Punctuated by delicate flecks of brass and deep heat patinas, La Gaitana stands as a fierce, eco-political monument to female resistance, historical memory, and the fluid intersection of biological growth and heavy military defense.
Specifications:
La Gaitana (Steel Suit), 2024
Hand-forged steel, brass, and heat patina
60 x 24 x 18 inches
Price upon request