From the Series The Little Jewels, Sudaca

Photo credits: Luz Angela Lizarazo
Click on the image to enlarge

Luz Angela Lizarazo

2008
Molded faux mother-of-pearl.
19 x 3 cm

A shiny mother-of-pearl letter opener shaped into the word “Sudaca” is displayed in a glass case on red velvet as if it were a jewel. This strong, aggressive, and disparaging term is used to refer to migrants from Latin American countries. Language becomes both life and death; the figure, with its sharp point, represents a weapon that denigrates those forced to leave their countries in search of better living conditions. The work challenges Article 100 of the Constitution and Article 1 of the American Convention on Human Rights, which protect all individuals regardless of their origin or nationality.