Untitled, from the "Silueta" series

Label TextAt a young age, Ana Mendieta was taken from her native Cuba to orphanages and foster homes in Iowa City in an attempt to escape political turmoil. She used the “Silueta” series to reconnect with nature and the earth she felt violently torn from. In nearly 200 earth/body works, she carved, submerged, or burnt herself into the ground, documenting the acts with photography. In these images, Mendieta traced her silhouette, filled the outline with gunpowder, and then ignited it, capturing both the flames and their aftermath on film.

DimensionsFrame: 18 3/4 × 25 1/4 × 1 1/4 in. (47.6 × 64.1 × 3.2 cm)
Image (visible): 12 3/4 × 19 3/8 in. (32.4 × 49.2 cm)

Accession Number 1997.78

Classificationsphotograph

Portfolio/Series"Silueta" series

Marksverso: estate stamp

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