Engaging in a dialogue between history, mysticism, and environmental concerns and through the interplay of a neon wall piece and a woven net, I create a visual narrative that delves into the complexities of cultural identity and the impact of climate change. The cascading net is composed of eight frame loom weavings interconnected through intricate knotting, wrapping, and coiling techniques, it incorporates an array of fibers: hand-dyed cotton yarn, acrylic, rayon, and silk. My intentional process allows for the emergence of unintended effects, such as thread breakage and tension-induced collapses. These "accidents" are then repaired and mended, transforming them into integral parts of the narrative. This process serves as a powerful metaphor for resilience and adaptability: a way of being in the world.
Neon lights, often synonymous with Miami and Miami Beach, represent seduction and economic prosperity. However, this vibrancy was also once present in Havana. During the 1930s and 1940s, the city was a dazzling neon playground, a testament to its flourishing economy prior to the revolution. Subsequently, neon fell into disrepair, reflecting the shift in Cuba's economic and political landscape. This contrasting history of neon serves as a reminder of how a region's relationship to capitalism can imbue even the most mundane materials with deeper significance.
Yemayá, the goddess of the ocean, is the recipient of this symbolic offering is particularly poignant. In the Afro-Cuban religion Santería, Yemayá represents the immense power and nurturing nature of the sea. Historically, Santería evolved as a strategy of resistance and survival during Cuba's colonial period. Due to persecution by Catholic Spaniards, worship and rituals were traditionally practiced in hidden spaces.
The cascading net serves as a visual representation of the environmental challenges facing Miami, a city home to the largest Cuban– and one of the largest of the Caribbean– diaspora/s in the United States. Rising sea levels threaten the very existence of this vibrant community, raising the specter of an environmental diaspora and subsequent dispersion of its residents.
