Marianne Hoffmeister MFA ’22 was invited to participate in the group exhibition “Las Venas de América” (The Veins of America), organized by the Chilean editorial project TransAmérica. The exhibition will host artists from diverse countries in the American continent such as Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, México, Perú, and United States, to exhibit their work and research for a curatorial project designed specifically for two institutions, Museo de la Ciudad and Salón del Pueblo CCE both located in Cuenca, Ecuador. “Las Venas de América” is on view February 6 through March 1.

Based on the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano’s book Las Venas Abiertas de América Latina (The Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent) the curatorial project proposes a critical analysis on the political and economic history of the South American territory and its imminent social and ecological disasters. The unpromising stories of political dominance and cultural and economic exploitation come as particularly relevant at this time to understand the lingering roots of the current political—and existential—crises that have arisen in many countries in the region, demanding urgent social and environmental justice.

Hoffmeister’s work “El Parpadeo de la Lengua” is a two-channel video and text-based installation that focuses on the Andean Condor as a symbol for South America but also for its ecological tragedies. The body of the Andean Condor is transformed into a territory plunged by predatory fantasies of dominance and possession, but this ominous scenario also brings a space for ecological liberation and renewal.

The exhibition will also host related activities such as lectures and guided visits in both venues. Marianne Hoffmeister will participate in lectures about her work and research as an MFA Candidate at Carnegie Mellon University on February 7.