"Lava Tus Manos del Pecado" 2016
42" x 24" x 48"
Soap, water, table cloth, wood pallet, cinder blocks, ceramic cups.
The use of soap to represent a traditional Panamanian meal serves as a metaphor for the "whitening" and "washing" of many cultural traditions in the U.S. through gentrification and cultural appropriation.
On one side on the "table," the fish is whole and the cup is overflowing with water, commenting on the overabundance of more privileged perspectives in the U.S. The place is set with a table cloth, which masks the construction materials, symbolizing the masking of the cultural historical roots.
On the other side, the fish has been picked, the lime has been squeezed, and the cup has been broken, representing the people whose cultures were used, who are often left with less opportunity after their cultures are appropriated, profited from, and masked.
The viewer is placed in the position to view the contrasting side, and can choose whether to start a conversation or attempt to wash their hands of their responsibility.
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