Opening Night - November 8th from 5:00 - 6:30pm, 2024
Exhibit to remain in the Upper Hyphen until December 8th, 2024

Artist will be present for opening

Chocó is a Colombian province with one of the most extensive rainforests in the world, renowned for its staggering rainfall and complexly-layered cultural history. Chocó is also home to a predominantly Black population, whose heritage and traditions have been preserved through centuries, as in the trans-generational passage of methods of midwifery, bone setting, and protection against mal de ojo. 

This exhibition draws attention to Chocó’s Afro-descendant heritage as evidenced through practices of traditional medicine. Gorgonia Mosquera de Mena has spent over 50 years practicing “Pega Hueso,” a bone-healing art that connects the community to ancestral medicinal knowledge. Similarly, Wilson Fidel protects newborns from mal de ojo and common illnesses using medicinal plants and rituals steeped in traditional wisdom. Midwives like Juana del Carmen play a vital role in the region, providing physical and emotional support to women during childbirth, preserving both life and cultural legacy.

These practices provide a glimpse into the resilience of a community subjected to systemic social marginalization, residing within an unforgiving physical environment, all the while maintaining spiritual and cultural traditions deeply rooted in the African diaspora of the Spanish-speaking Americas.