Renowned Artist Guadalupe Maravilla Unveils Multiple Works of Art Around Austin
The Contemporary Austin, Waterloo Greenway, & Fusebox collaborate to bring Maravilla’s work to life this spring.
The Salvadoran-born, New York-based transdisciplinary visual artist and healer Guadalupe Maravilla was part of the first wave of unaccompanied, undocumented children to arrive at the United States border in the 1980s as a result of the Salvadoran Civil War. As an adult, Maravilla was diagnosed with cancer, which he attributes to his migrational trauma, and grounds his practice in the historical and contemporary contexts belonging to the undocumented and cancer communities, combining pre-colonial Central American ancestry, personal mythology, and collaborative performative acts.
While undergoing cancer treatment, he was introduced to sound therapy, a healing practice that uses tonal vibrations produced by gongs to improve physical and psychological health. Maravilla is a trained sound healer who regularly holds workshops for undocumented immigrants, cancer patients and survivors, and those in need of vibrational healing. Both of his works in Austin will be accompanied by sound baths to connect to the full elemental qualities of his works.
“For me sound is medicine. Sound as medicine is nothing new; it’s been happening from the beginning of humanity. Think about the Tibetan throat singing that happens in Asia and all the percussion instruments, and flutes and vocals from the shamans in the Americas. That is sound as medicine all over the world,” said Guadalupe Maravilla.
Serpent of the Sun and the Moon
Serpent of the Sun and the Moon is a sculptural art work created specifically for the Austin solar eclipse by renown international artist Guadalupe Maravilla. The bronze sculpture functions as vibrational healing instruments. It represents a serpent holding two gongs – a Sun Gong coming from the cloud, and Moon gong from the mouth of the serpent. Each gong resonates at the frequency of their corresponding celestial bodies. This work is supported by the Simons Foundation and is part of its ‘In the Path of Totality’ initiative.
Mariposa Relámpago
Presented at The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria from April 4–November 3, 2024, Mariposa Relámpago is the artist’s largest sound-healing sculpture. At the sound baths, the artist and healers will play the gongs to activate the work and create an immersive soundscape, restoring calm and balance to those in attendance. The gongs are tuned to specific frequencies related to the earth and the moon. Guadalupe Maravilla: Mariposa Relámpago is commissioned by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. Mariposa Relámpago will travel to venues across Texas through a partnership between organizations including Ballroom Marfa, The Contemporary Austin, and the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston. The Contemporary Austin’s presentation is organized by Alex Klein, Head Curator & Director of Curatorial Affairs.
The Serpent of the Sun and the Moon installation is supported by the Simons Foundation and is part of its ‘In the Path of Totality’ initiative. For more information, visit inthepathoftotality.org.
The Simons Foundation’s Science, Society and Culture division seeks to provide opportunities for people to forge a connection to science —whether for the first time or a lifetime. Through their initiatives, they work to inspire a feeling of awe and wonder, foster connections between people and science, and support environments that provide a sense of belonging. The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. Since its founding in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons, the foundation has been a champion of basic science through grant funding, support for research and public engagement. They believe in asking big questions and providing sustained support to researchers working to unravel the mysteries of the universe. Through their work they make space for scientific discovery.