San Agustin sculptures
2022 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Simon, San Agustin, and the Volcanos (scroll down for video): in February and March of 2022, I explored some of Colombia, particularly the Amazon jungle near Laticia, and Sibundoy, an indigenous town in the Andes. On the way we stopped for four days at several archaeological sites in the San Agustin department of Huila. We explored these remote sites on foot, and horseback. San Agustin is located deep in the spectacular Andes Mountain ranges, at the headwaters of two of Colombia’s largest and wildest rivers. San Agustín is an Archaeological Park that has the largest group of religious sculptures and megalithic monuments in South America.
“The archaeological landscape hosts sculptures ranging from 20 centimeters to seven meters, from abstract to realist art. The sculptures resemble human figures with threatening, smiling, or somber faces. But also, rather divine creatures, warriors armed with clubs, round eyes or jaguars’ teeth of mythical heroes. Some seem to depict serenity and wisdom, others fear and darkness” Nothing is known of the people who created these sculptures—only what we see in the carvings. I immediately connected with these timeless, mysterious, and powerful sculptures. I created works inspired by my visit to San Agustin, Colombia, to share my story and vision with the public in North America. I see this as a kind of collaboration between a mysterious ancient civilization of artists and me, sculptor James Simon, together creating something connected to an ancient civilization’s past, yet unique and contemporary.
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