Jaguar Head

In this sculpture, Estela Dagua reinterpreted the form of a jaguar head kero—a kind of Inca drinking cup—like the one next to it. Such keros were created centuries earlier by Inca artists after the Spanish invasion of their empire. Although Canelos Quichua communities speak Quechua, an Inca language, exactly how Dagua became familiar with these older Inca objects is unknown. Her works include both traditional Amazonian ceramic forms and works that draw on contemporary inspirations—like the movie Godzilla.