The avocado legacy. Deforestation, revolution, a new beginning, tapestry
2023
from the Conflict Avocados project 2023
Medium
avocado-dyed cotton, marigold-dyed cotton
Measurements
265.0 × 3740.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased with funds donated by The Andrew & Geraldine Buxton Foundation, 2024
© Fernando Laposse
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Spanning forty metres, this handmade tapestry depicts a powerful visual narrative capturing the complex consequences of avocado production in Mexico. Sewn together to form interconnected scenes, fabrics dyed with avocado seed pigment and marigold flowers illustrate the entangled stories of the Monarch butterfly, the global avocado trade, and the struggles and victories of the people of Cherán, an indigenous community in Michoacán, Mexico who in 2011 staged an uprising against illegal loggers. This work celebrates the community’s resilience and commitment to protecting their home and the surrounding forest, while contextualising their story within the broader workings of the avocado industry.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Mexico City, Mexico
Accession Number
2024.158
Department
Contemporary Design and Architecture