CRAFT OF RESISTANCE

CRAFT OF RESISTANCE consists of the creation of copper butterflies based on the copper-making traditions of Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan. It is the first in a series of works that explore the impact of border politics on Mexican craft-making traditions. The project draws reference to the lengthy annual migration of real butterfiles which span North America form Canada to santuaries in Michoacán. The perseverance of these insects draws a direct parallel to the perilous journey of thousands of Mexican immigrants to the United States.

The first participants local volunteers worked on the assembly-line production of thousands of copper monarch butterflies. The assembly-line fashioned 2,500 butterflies, the small sculptures were packed, shipped, and installed in a private home in San Antonio.