Balam Huipil Remix, 2013

Artist Statement (Dalila Paola Mendez): Balam Huipil Remix is made in the style of a "huipil", a traditional Mayan blouse, that uses modern and ancient symbols and visually weaves a new story. The 1st band of symbols from the top are the Hunab Ku, Om, and the Lotus which are ancient symbols of balance, light and dark, rebirth, and higher consciousness. The 2nd band of symbols is the Nazar which gives protection from evil eye or protection from harm. The 3rd band of symbols beginning from the left is global warming/destruction of water/climate change, the automatic gun is war and killing of people communities of color/violence/war, the corrn and tomatoes with a syringe is GMO food that is harming our food supply/plants/seeds, the tree stumps depicts deforestation across the planet, machine gun-violence, drones represents the destruction/killing/the collateral damage/wars/death of innocent children/women. The 4th band of symbols is Oil drilling and its' destruction of our oceans and damaging affects on the earth, the Glaciers depicts the destruction of water/global warming/climate change, the Nike sign symbolizes our consumerism that creates child labor/sweatshop labor/poverty/displacement of people, McDonalds is the eating of processed food/unhealthy food that contributes to poor health/diabetes/heart attacks/cancer, the electronics/wifi depicts the disconnection to people/distractions/being present, Tanks symbolize the displacement of indigenous tribes/poor communities/destruction of culture/genocide/occupations/imperialism. The 5th band is the Nazar flanking this destruction, to protect humans from the violence that we are subjected to on a daily basis and our complacency of this destruction. The 6th band are words in arabic and farsi, the first symbol is Love in Arabic and the second symbol is Peace in Farsi which repeats from the mouth of Balam or jaguar (warrior spirit). To change things we need more love and peace towards all individuals and the earth. The 7th band is a bike symbolizing exercise/alternative transportation/slowing down, the book is about disconnecting from technology, the butterflies symbolizes metamorphosis of change/we need to transform. The 8th band is the repition of the Hunab ku, Om, and Lotus, the connection spiritually to ourselves/others/nature, the boom boxes symbolizes the universal language of music and the drum beat of our ancestors. The 9th band is the connection to nature/our planet/the 4 directions/cosmology and higher consciousness. I weave a new narrative, an art Huipil, to heal, to transform the violence into peace, connection and honoring of our spirits.