Ancestral Wisdom

Keisha Lopez’s latest body of work, ‘Ancestral Wisdom’ is a reintegration of her previously white-washed cultural ties to Mesoamerica. This body of work radiates a divine femininity through color, weaving, and natural imagery. Specifically, this series looks back at how her lineage processed grief and death as a transformative state. Environmental connection takes a precedent in her work as it highlights the need for conservation and sustainability to create a more equitable future for all. Through a reconnection of her culture, Lopez pursues healing across generational trauma.

Lagoon of the Crescent Moon or Laguna de Luna Creciente is inspired by a sacred space of cultural significance within my heritage. The mysticism and lore surrounding the Laguna de Luna Creciente as a place where shaman participate in spiritual ceremonies to speak with their ancestors. Upon creating this work, I imagined a space one can process grief where the physical states of life and death intersect. The mark-making and imagery in the piece causes the space to feel familiar yet shifting between the liminal quality of the unknown destination. A high glossed finish acts as a reflective surface that mimics the waters. One can image it is what was felt or seen within the pools across generations. This place is where their future hopes and aspiration for their ancestral line can drift alongside the sorrow that comes with loss. Upon viewing these works, I hope it can help others to process their grief as a transformative process.

-Keisha Lopez on ‘Lagoon of the Crescent Moon (No 1 - 6)’.