Cecilia Vicuña: Brain Forest Quipu

Known for her radical textile sculptures which combine natural materials with traditional crafts, Cecilia Vicuña frequently explores themes of ecology, community, and social justice in her work. Through her art she pays tribute to her country’s Indigenous history and culture.

“In the Andes people did not write, they wove meaning into textiles and knotted cords. Five thousand years ago they created the quipu, a poem in space, a way to remember, involving the body and the cosmos at once. A tactile, spatial metaphor for the union of all.” – Cecilia Vicuña

27 metres of pale, ghostly quipu sculptures hang from the ceiling at opposite ends of Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. Hyundai Commission: Cecilia Vicuña: Brain Forest Quipu continues Cecilia Vicuña long-standing work with the ancient Andean tradition of the quipu. Woven together from different materials including found objects, unspun wool, plant fibres, rope and cardboard, the sculptures are combined with music and voice that emerge at moments as you move through the space. This multi-part installation is an act of mourning for the destruction of the forests, the subsequent impact of climate change, and the violence against Indigenous people, but also an opportunity to create a space for new voices and forms of knowledge to be heard and understood.