
Tepetlapa at Projet Pangée
September 2021
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Installation view of Tepetlapa at Projet Pangée, Montreal.
Exhibition text by Raphaëlle Cormier
Bóveda celeste
It’s hard to tell
where Heaven stops
and Earth begins
Hesitant, you reach a finger
touch the arching skies
How ethereal and enveloping
this milky veil is
Cielos en picado
In Santa Clara del Cobre
local markets glisten
copper plates, vessels,
goblets, jewelry
Hammered and sculpted
During lightning storms
the high conductivity of copper
attracts electrical discharges
Plummeting skies
Thunderbolts penetrate the ground
scattered arborescence
In Santa Clara del Cobre
mountains overflow with cupric metal
The artistic duo Celeste’s name originated from depictions of celestial bodies floating above the horizon line. They now turn their gaze earthbound from their heavenly station. Representations of elongated fingers illustrate meticulous gestures like foraging, digging, squeezing, holding, or caressing. On the fleshy womblike surfaces, a predominance of ochres opens to earthy tones of browns, grays, and greens. This colour pallet stems from explorations with organic matters such as turmeric, avocado, and lemon. These telluric incarnations extend to their sculptures, which arise from the craftsmanship of Santa Clara del Cobre and the abundance of copper buried in the soil.
Perched on a hill, Celeste and El Vigilante Nocturno watch over our terrestrial everyday life. Their aerial presence glides over our heads, a ronde de nuit under the moonlight.
Vigilante Nocturno
Derived from indigenous Nahuatl dialect, the word tepetlapa evokes the rocky landscape of Tepoztlán, México. Driving to Santiago Tepetlapa, you are greeted by a sign that reads "El cerro del vigilante nocturno"–which translates as the "Hill of the Nocturnal Watchman".
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Algo está cediendo I, 2021
Hammered copper
6 x 28 x 28 cm
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Installation view of Tepetlapa at Projet Pangée, Montreal.
El gesto de Daniela, 2021
Pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas
150 x 120 cm
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Camino Real, 2021
Pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas
280 x 290 cm
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Algo está cediendo II, 2021
Hammered copper
15 x 18 x 23 cm
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Installation view of Tepetlapa at Projet Pangée, Montreal.
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La gran recepción, 2021
Pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas
130 x 200 cm
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Bóveda Celeste, 2021
Pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas
130 x 200 cm
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Algo se debate por lograr su forma, 2021
Pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas
130 x 200 cm
Gestos Coordiales, 2021
Pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas
70 x 50 cm
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Photo Credit: Jean-Michael Seminaro