Memorials Pilgrimage

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My work as an artist and sculptor is informed by memorialization, religion, time, and ancestries. For years, I’ve studied iconic ancient works but only from afar and in pictures. Now I have a chance to research and work with them in person through this self-organized Memorials Pilgrimage.

About This Project

For the past four years, I have been working on a sculpture series called Ephemeral Memorials, which draws upon my cultural origins in Mexico and continuing interests in commemoration and the endless process of becoming. Ancient figurative sculpture has always been a powerful source of inspiration and knowledge for me. I’ve longed for an opportunity to see and work with these objects in person, but most are housed within distant museums or collections. Travel or research grants are very difficult to obtain, so I decided to organize my own pilgrimage that will consist of a structured itinerary of museum visits, archival research, and artmaking that will push my practice and this series forward.

With the support of this campaign, I am asking my community of supporters and patrons to help me make this journey. To show my gratitude and share my progress, all donors will receive access to a dedicated travel journal that I will update along the way containing photos, reflections, and more. 

Over a period of 8 weeks, I plan to visit the following sculptures and sites: 

• Woman of Willendorf (Venus of Willendorf). 25,000 years old. Naturhistorisches Museum; Vienna, Austria
• Venus of Dolní Vestonice. 29,000-25,000 BC. Moravske Museum; Brno, Czech Republic
• Lion Man. 40,000 years old. Ulm Museum; Ulm, Germany
• Venus of Hohle Fels. 35,000 years old; Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren; Blaubeuren, Germany

During the trip, I will make sketches and small sculptures that will be further developed into a complete body of work in the months after I return home. Donors will receive early notice of new works and an anticipated exhibition in the future. Thank you for your support.

Thank yous

Contribute any amount or choose from the levels below.

• $25
  Personal thank you on social media ($25.00 is tax deductible.)
• $50
  Above, plus access to a new entry from my travel journal sent to you privately every week ($50.00 is tax deductible.)
• $75
  Above, plus a 1-hour virtual drawing class led by Rodrigo ($25.00 is tax deductible.)
• $100
  Above, plus a copy of the artist catalogue “Memorials” (160 pp, Calygrama, 2017) ($10.00 is tax deductible.)
• $200
  A digital print (1 of 30) signed by Rodrigo, plus the “Memorials” catalogue and access to the travel journal ($80.00 is tax deductible.)
• $350
  An original drawing signed by Rodrigo, plus the “Memorials” catalogue and access to the travel journal ($150.00 is tax deductible.)
• $500
  Above, plus a studio visit with Rodrigo ($250.00 is tax deductible.)
• $750
  An original relief sculpture (1 of 25), plus the “Memorials” catalogue and access to the travel journal ($400.00 is tax deductible.)
• $1500
  An original small sculpture signed by Rodrigo, plus the “Memorials” catalogue and access to the travel journal ($900.00 is tax deductible.)
• $3500
  An original medium sculpture signed by Rodrigo, plus the “Memorials” catalogue and access to the travel journal ($2000.00 is tax deductible.)

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Rodrigo Lara

Make a Wave Artist

Rodrigo Lara is a multidisciplinary artist born in Mexico. He received an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 2013 and a BFA from the Universidad de Guanajuato in Mexico (2003). Lara has had solo …

View Rodrigo Lara's profile

• 3 updates
• 74 supporters

• Update 1: Travel Journal 1

  Posted on September 20, 2022

  

  NOTE This is the only selfie I was able to take. All the other pieces are in completely dark rooms.  

  September 20, 2022

   

   

   

  Dear Memorials Pilgrimage supporters,

   

  How are you? I hope this email finds you very well. I would like to thank 3Arts for guiding me and also to thank each one of you for your incredible support and for making my project a reality.

   

  I would like to let you know that the time for my journey has arrived! I have been in Europe for about ten days and I have visited all the following pieces:

   

  1       Venus of Willendorf. 25,000 years old. Naturhistorisches Museum; Vienna, Austria

  2       Venus of Dolní Vestonice. 29,000-25,000 BC. Moravske Museum; Brno, Czech Republic

  3       Lion Man. 40,000 years old. Ulm Museum; Ulm, Germany

  4       Venus of Hohle Fels. 35,000 years old; Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren; Blaubeuren, Germany

   

  
  I have no words to describe what a great opportunity it was for me to spend quality time with each one of these pieces. Although the museums were a little busy, I was lucky that every single one of the individual rooms that hold each one of the pieces at the different museums were completely empty at the moment I was there. The time to observe the works was very intimate, each one of them felt like an opportunity to interview or dialogue one on one. Memorials Pilgrimage has been extremely energizing.  

   

   

  In addition to that, I am also very thankful for your amazing response allowing me to reach my stretch goals. With your support I was able to acquire professional equipment.

   

  Besides the equipment, the stretch goal has also allowed me to extend the self-directed residency to more countries in order to analyze objects and fossils. For instance:

   

  Natural History Museum; Oslo, Norway   

  Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia; Mexico City. Mexico

  Cerámica Suro; Guadalajara, Mexico (residency)

   

   

  You will receive updates and news as my project develops. Stay tuned while I am traveling and making work.

   

  I am looking forward to staying in touch with you.

   

  Best regards,

   

  Rodrigo

  Update 2: Equipment

  Posted on September 20, 2022

  

   
  Update 3: Equipment

  Posted on September 20, 2022

  

   

• Thank you to the following for contributing to 3Arts with the recommendation that we support this project.

  • Catherine Schwalbe

  • Mike Nourse

  • Scott Hunter

  • Laura-Caroline de Lara

  • Kara Johnson

  • Jose Cerda III

  • Macol Stewart Cerda

  • Javier Soria

  • Melanie de Maycotte

  • Maria Elena Lara Zendejas

  • Aaron Rodgers

  • Sarah Taylor

  • Steve and Nancy Johnson

  • Michael McVickar

  • Nikunj Chokshi

  • Marilyn Sabido

  • Hilesh Patel

  • Sherri Denault

  • Diana Torres

  • Sophie Barrett-Kahn

  • Gregory Smith

  • douglas stapleton

  • Kate Lorenz

  • Jacqueline Barbosa

  • Ana Casanueva

  • Caty Lamadrid

  • DOROTA, ZBIGNIEW KRUCZALAK

  • Erika Vazquez

  • Mike Kanovitz

  • Sam Fuhr

  • Norbert Ponweiser

  • Fernando Albicker

  • grove mower

  • Anonymous Supporter

  • Luis Padilla

  • Maria Pinto

  • Regina Trillo

  • Caroline Kent

  • Jeff Stevenson

  • Daniel finer

  • Charles Lewis

  • Carol Fox

  • Lucia Salazar

  • Eric McKissack

  • Matthew Kruger

  • Keith Pettit

  • Patrick Buckley

  • Giacomo Tagliabue

  • Kevin Goodrich

  • Danica Sachs

  • Marcelina Guerrero

  • Allison Quinn

  • Alejandro Urrutia Delgado

  • Malena Gonzalez

  • Liz Cano

  • Laurie Peterson

  • Alex Ingram

  • Susan Giles

  • Bosco Bae

  • David Siejka

  • grove mower

  • Mariana Peraza

  • Roberto Ruiz Delgado

  • MARY JEAN SREMANIAK

  • Laura Karam

  • Lucía Mier y Teran Romero

  • Luis Meza Leal

  • Steve and Nancy Johnson

  • Maria Elena Lara Zendejas

  • Isaac Avendaño

  • Eduardo Rodriguez

  • Maria Elena Lara Zendejas

  • Jeser Zendejas

  • Thomas James

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