Ancestral Steering
Ancestral Steering
- Creator: Marianna Edwards
- Date: 2020
- Location: W Ustick Rd & N Cole Rd, SE Corner
- Types: murals (any medium), reproductions (derivative objects), utility box wraps
- Materials: ink, vinyl
- Collection: Traffic Box Wraps
Ancestral Steering is based on the cardinal directions. The main Yalateca figure wears a traditional headdress and tunic. She faces west with a golden eagle in her arms and a young deer looking up at the viewer. She intermingles with patterns resembling flowers, textiles, and a faded mural. The colors white, jade, and copper are significant western hues, while black signifies north, blue-south and red-east. Strictly adhering to the colors, symbols, and elements of each direction was not my goal, instead the symbolism sparked the imagery. Layering acrylic on white canvas allowed the colors to shine brightly and not be muted by an undertone. Archeology and myth, when blended with modern forms of painting, results in something akin to Magical Realism. The woman, for example, holds a golden eagle close to her body with her eyes closed, a gesture seen as both contemplative of the bird’s power, and at the same time melancholic for the imminent release of the bird’s powerful wings. Her closed eyes could also simply reflect the brightness of the white flower. Similarly, the jaguar, an animal associated with the north and death, looks up hopeful and bright indicating that death does not always equate with finality. Death, to many, can easily be translated as a kind of rebirth. Painting serves my sense of identity. I am a hybrid of two cultures: I’m Mexican-American, which gives me so many opportunities I would not have otherwise, but with the price of not owning a true understanding of my history.
