Labours of Love, Edible Cakes Based on the Houses of Different Neighbourhoods in Bogotá

Photo credits: Pablo Adarme
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Pablo Adarme

2002 – 2021
Pastel, acrylic paint on MDF
11x16x11 cm

How is cultural heritage defined within a territory? The artist proposes that the answer must come from the community. This creamy cake with orange and brown icing is a scaled replica of a house in Venecia, a working-class neighbourhood in Bogotá. The common architecture is translated into pastry: a ground floor of painted bricks, with white doors and windows transformed into cream. This serves as a metaphor for the colourful, practical, and modest homes that make up the city’s local heritage. The work represents a form of social appreciation and appropriation that encourages reflection on Articles 60, 72, and 102 of the Constitution, which define territory, public assets, and recognise the protection of the nation’s cultural