This 7-foot-tall sculpture, fashioned from scrap cardboard and other repurposed materials, commands attention with its monumental presence. Referencing the form of the enigmatic “Venuses” of Tacarigua, diminutive yet potent artifacts of pre-Columbian Venezuela, this work echoes the silenced voices of the Valencioid people. Flourishing from 800 C.E. until 1500 C.E., the Valencioid culture was tragically quashed through violent dispersal and extermination by European colonizers.

At first glance, the sculpture’s form resonates with the archetype of fertility and femininity, a timeless motif evident in the original “Venuses’” bulbous forms and exaggerated features. However, the magnification of scale from the original 7-centimetre statuettes to a towering 7-foot figure challenges conventional notions of representation, inviting viewers to confront the monumental significance of Indigenous narratives often marginalized in the annals of history.

The figure’s quiet strength and self-assuredness are evident in its wide stance and balanced posture, evoking a sense of groundedness and resilience despite cultural displacement. Yet, it is the closed “coffee-bean” or “frog-like” eyes that captivate, inviting viewers into a realm of introspection and contemplation. With a serene expression that hints at meditation or slumber, the “Venus” embodies a spiritual connection to ancestral memories, transcending the boundaries of time and space.

The vibrant flowers and yellow hue that envelop the surface of The (Re)Birth radiates warmth and vitality, serving as a beacon of hope amidst the shadows of colonial oppression. Adorned with over 500 faux flowers rescued from the garbage and gathered from thrift stores, the “Venus” becomes an unabashed cultural revival, each bloom a testament to the significance of finding value in the undervalued, forgotten, and discarded material objects in our lives.