What's Happening?
Sarah Rosalena, an artist and associate professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has created a 27-foot tapestry for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). This work, commissioned for the David Geffen Galleries, is a blend of her
personal handweaving patterns and computer-generated satellite imagery of planetary terrains. Rosalena's tapestry is a tribute to Los Angeles, reflecting her family's diverse history, from her grandfather's work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to her family's roots in gardening and migrant work. The tapestry challenges traditional boundaries between craft and technology, using a jacquard-rapier loom to weave distorted satellite images into a textured piece that blurs the lines between earth and cosmos.
Why It's Important?
Rosalena's work is significant as it represents a fusion of traditional Indigenous craft techniques with modern technology, challenging the conventional hierarchies that separate these disciplines. By doing so, it offers a new perspective on how art can reflect and critique societal structures, such as colonial systems of mapping and imaging. This tapestry not only serves as a cultural homage to Los Angeles but also as a commentary on the power dynamics inherent in technological and artistic practices. It highlights the potential for art to envision alternative futures and question established narratives.
