Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons Untitled (The Right Protection) 1999

Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons is a renowned contemporary artist born in Matanzas, Cuba in 1959. Her work explores themes of memory, identity, and cultural heritage through a variety of mediums, including photography, mixed media installations, and performance art. “Untitled (The Right Protection),” created in 1999, is a mixed media installation that features a grid pattern of small, intricately embroidered pieces of fabric. The artwork is a reflection of the artist’s Cuban heritage and the cultural symbolism that is often present in traditional Cuban folk art.

One of the most striking elements of “Untitled (The Right Protection)” is the use of bright colors and intricate embroidery. The use of traditional materials and techniques combined with contemporary artistic methods reflects the artist’s desire to preserve cultural heritage while also exploring new artistic possibilities.

One possible interpretation of “Untitled (The Right Protection)” is that it speaks to the power of art as a means of exploring and preserving cultural heritage which invites the viewer to reflect on the relationship between individual identity and cultural heritage. As John Berger writes in Ways of Seeing, “All images appropriate what they represent. They select, they repress, they frame, they ignore” (Berger, 1972, p. 7). In the case of Campos-Pons’ work, the selection and appropriation of traditional Cuban folk-art motifs reflects the artist’s desire to connect with and celebrate her cultural heritage.

Alejandro Anreus, Susan W. Knowles, and Lisa E. Farrington all provide a comprehensive overview of Campos-Pons’ work, highlighting the ways in which she explores themes of identity, memory, and cultural heritage.