Plasti-Wampu

︎2021
︎Phragmites reeds, recycled bottles, chicken wire and Jute rope

Artist Collaboration with Sara Kavage as a part of the Lenapehoking-Watershed art project, Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia PA. Traditionally these Aymara reed boats are known as Walsa, but investigations into 15th century Aymara dictionaries written by the Jesuit Monks have it written as “Wampu”.

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Colaboración artística con Sara Kavage como parte del proyecto artístico Lenapehoking-Watershed, Independence Seaport Museum, Filadelfia, PA. Tradicionalmente estos barcos de caña aymara se conocen como Walsa, pero investigaciones en diccionarios aymaras del siglo XV escritos por los monjes jesuitas lo han escrito como “Wampu”.

Traditional technique transformed to fit modern materials and circumstances, Phragmites reeds available in Philadelphia do not have the same floatation as Totora reeds from Lake Titicaca. To remedy this lack of floatation, empty plastic laundry detergent bottles were put in two chicken wire hemispheres that were woven together around the “chuima” or heart in the center using traditional techniques. 

Traditional technique transformed to fit modern materials and circumstances, Phragmites reeds available in Philadelphia do not have the same floatation as Totora reeds from Lake Titicaca. To remedy this lack of floatation, empty plastic laundry detergent bottles were put in two chicken wire hemispheres that were woven together around the “chuima” or heart in the center using traditional techniques.