SCARS OF A RITUAL PAST

Mariana del Castillo

4 April 2014 - 10 May 2014

CCAS Gorman MAINSpace

Mariana del Castillo’s Scars of a ritual past is an imposing spectacle consisting of works that reflect her first impressions of Australia. Sydney’s blinking neon lights blend with memories of religious fervor, guilt and visions of hell in her native Ecuador. Scars of a ritual past creates the site for a monumental clash of cultures where the new country and the old country struggle to possess the mind of a youthful and impressionable del Castillo. As the artist says “There is a depth of displacement that children of migrants carry, and religious standings and convictions can often stand in opposition to the new secular society.” In Scars of a ritual past, del Castillo brilliantly captures the overwhelming experience of adapting past to present. This dreamlike installation provides the audience withan experiencethat is overwhelmingly real.

Image: Mariana del Castillo, Scars of a ritual past, 2014, installation, mixed media