Cecilia Vicuña Discusses Poetry, Politics, and Pre-Columbian Art in New Podcast
In a recent podcast episode, Cecilia Vicuña, a Chilean poet and visual artist born in Santiago in 1948, explores the relationship between text and imagery in her creations. She shares her early interest in pre-Renaissance art and the significant influence of her aunt, artist Rosa Vicuña. Vicuña expresses her respect for Doris Salcedo and discusses the effect of medieval sheela na gig sculptures from Ireland. Her artistic endeavors encompass poetry, narrative painting, large-scale installations, performances, and temporary sculptures, focusing on themes such as politics, human rights, Indigenous culture, and environmental concerns. Upcoming shows include Cecilia Vicuña: Living Threads at Whitechapel Gallery (7 October–14 February 2027) and Cecilia Vicuña: Quipu of Encounters at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (15 November–6 June 2027). Bloomberg Connects sponsors the podcast.
Key facts
- Cecilia Vicuña was born in 1948 in Santiago, Chile.
- She is both a poet and a visual artist, intertwining these forms across media.
- Her work addresses human rights abuses in Chile, global conflicts, Indigenous culture, colonialism, and the climate catastrophe.
- She cites influences including pre-Renaissance painting, her aunt Rosa Vicuña, Doris Salcedo, and medieval sheela na gig sculptures in Ireland.
- Upcoming exhibition: Cecilia Vicuña: Living Threads, Whitechapel Gallery, 7 October–14 February 2027.
- Upcoming exhibition: Cecilia Vicuña: Quipu of Encounters: The Dream of Water, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 15 November–6 June 2027.
- The podcast is sponsored by Bloomberg Connects, which provides access to cultural organisations including the Whitechapel Gallery, Tate, the Guggenheim, and the Wattis.
- The Wattis guide features Caguiat Delacruz: The Tramp, with a newly commissioned film responding to Charlie Chaplin’s The Tramp, plus installation, painting, and prints by Justin Caguiat and Rafael Delacruz.
Entities
Artists
- Cecilia Vicuña
- Rosa Vicuña
- Doris Salcedo
- Justin Caguiat
- Rafael Delacruz
- Charlie Chaplin
- Daisy Nam
- Courtney Sennish
- Julia Toro
- Karl Marx
- Pablo Picasso
- Paul McCarthy
- Gabby Windey
- Bryan Stevenson
- James O'Hern
- Guy Brett
- David Medalla
- John Dugger
- Conrad Atkinson
- Salvador Allende
- Augusto Pinochet
Institutions
- Whitechapel Gallery
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- Tate
- Guggenheim
- Wattis Institute
- Bloomberg Connects
- Lehmann Maupin
- Xavier Hufkens
- Artist Rights Society (ARS)
- Slade School of Fine Art
- Irish Museum of Modern Art
- MOCA Los Angeles
- Venice Biennale
- Art Basel Miami Beach
- Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize
- CULTURED
- Slade School of Art
- British Council
- Artists for Democracy
- Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
- Documenta
- Tate Modern
- The Guardian
Locations
- Santiago
- Chile
- Ireland
- London
- New York
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Seoul
- Brussels
- Concón
- United Kingdom
- Tribeca
- USA
- Hudson River
- Venice
- Italy
- Miami Beach
- Florida
- Dublin
- California
- Bogotá
- Colombia
- Andes
- Amazon rainforest
- Atacama
- Europe
- United States
- Stepney Green