Art in the Atrium - CRISTINA FLORES PESCORÁN: Xi Xi

In preparation for her solo exhibition Echoes of Ancestors, Peruvian artist Cristina Flores Pescorán presents an installation in the mezzanine called Xi Xi : A soursop garden grows between my heart and my skin. A new work that she defines as a self-portrait, a conceptual X-ray of her inner body. This piece is part of her effort to reconnect with her heritage, aiming to illuminate untold stories and confront generational trauma after a 16-year battle with skin cancer.

The installation includes three main materials: a striking visual combination of indigenous cotton from Peru and a cotton fabric bought in the Netherlands and dyed with soursop leaves, all connected with copper wire. These elements are woven, stretched and intertwined to create a striking and colourful contrast. Indigenous cotton, also known as the Silk of South America or the White Gold of Peru, is known for its exceptional quality and durability. Originally from northern Peru, this eco-friendly material has traditionally been used for fabrics, rituals and folk medicine. It features a diversity of colours, including brown, creamy white and green, that distinguish it. Soursop, a fruit from North-South America, is known for its medicinal benefits and is often promoted as a potential cancer treatment.

Cristina Flores Pescorán (born 1986, Peru) is a multidisciplinary artist based in the Netherlands. Her work stems from decolonial reflections, dialogues between her body, medical experiences, ritual healing and regeneration processes and connections to ancestors of coastal and northern Peru. She uses photography, silversmithing, performance, video, installation and textiles inspired by pre-Hispanic techniques. She was a resident at the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht (2022-2023) and La Nueva Fábrica, supported by the New Roots Foundation, Guatemala (2022). Her work has been exhibited in Lima, Cusco, Stroud, Berlin, New York, Chicago, Paris, Mexico City and London. She recently participated in projects commissioned by the Sydney Biennale and the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain. Flores Pescorán's awards include the Textile Laboratory Award at the SIART International Art Biennial, Bolivia (2018), an honourable mention in the XXIII Passport Contest by the French Alliance of Lima (2020), and final places in the National Painting Competition of the Museo Central of the Banco Central de Reserva del Peru (2021) and the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano Contemporary Art Award (2022). Her work is in the permanent collections of the National Museum of Peru and the National Museum of Art in La Paz, Bolivia.

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