A Conversation with the Earth: The Sculptural Language of Juliana Góngora Rojas

Juliana Góngora Rojas, born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1988, is an artist whose work emerges from a deeply intimate dialogue with the natural world. Her sculptures are not merely objects but rather embodiments of relationships—between history and memory, body and land, fragility and resilience. Rojas’s artistic journey began with a fascination for material itself, moving beyond traditional sculptural forms to explore the inherent qualities and symbolic weight of organic substances like earth, salt, spiderwebs, and most notably, milk. This isn't simply about *using* these materials; it is about listening to them, understanding their processes of decay and transformation, and allowing those rhythms to dictate the form of her art. She currently divides her time between artistic practice and teaching sculpture at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogotá, a position that underscores her commitment to fostering a new generation of artists attuned to the subtle energies of their surroundings.

Early Influences and Artistic Development

Rojas’s formative years were steeped in the rich cultural tapestry of Colombia, a nation marked by both breathtaking biodiversity and complex socio-political histories. Her early studies at the National University of Colombia provided a foundational understanding of sculptural techniques, but it was her subsequent exploration of ancestral knowledge—particularly through collaborations with artisans and Indigenous communities—that truly shaped her artistic vision. She began to question conventional notions of permanence in art, recognizing that many traditional materials held inherent impermanence, mirroring the cyclical nature of life itself. This led to a deliberate embrace of processes like fermentation, drying, and weaving, techniques often associated with domestic labor and passed down through generations of women. The artist’s work is deeply rooted in her family history, particularly the stories and practices of her maternal lineage. Cuerpo de Leche (Body of Milk), perhaps her most iconic series, exemplifies this connection—a painstaking process of transforming milk into yarn, then weaving it into textiles that evoke both ancestral shrouds and the delicate fragility of memory. The labor-intensive nature of these works is not merely aesthetic; it’s a conscious act of reclaiming time and honoring the often-unseen work of women who have historically shaped Colombian culture.

Themes of Body, Nature, and Transformation

At the heart of Góngora Rojas's practice lies an exploration of the interconnectedness between the human body and the natural world. Her sculptures frequently reference bodily forms—wombs, shrouds, skeletal structures—but these are never literal representations. Instead, they serve as metaphors for vulnerability, transformation, and the cyclical processes of life and death. The use of organic materials further reinforces this connection; milk, for example, is inextricably linked to nourishment, motherhood, and the very beginnings of life. Earth, salt, and other natural elements represent grounding, resilience, and the enduring power of the land. Her work often challenges traditional hierarchies between art and craft, blurring the boundaries between sculpture, textile art, and ritual practice. The artist’s engagement with materials like spiderwebs—often overlooked for their delicate nature—highlights the beauty and complexity found in seemingly ephemeral forms. These webs become symbols of interconnectedness, fragility, and the intricate networks that sustain life.

International Recognition and Major Achievements

Góngora Rojas's work has garnered increasing international recognition in recent years, with exhibitions at prominent institutions such as the Biennale of Sydney, KADIST San Francisco, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Her participation in the 2021 Biennale of Sydney, featuring her Cuerpo de Leche series, brought her work to a wider audience, prompting critical discussions about materiality, memory, and cultural identity. The exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, “En el principio / In the beginning,” marked her first major solo show in the United States, further solidifying her position as a leading contemporary artist. This project, created in collaboration with Matías Quintero Sepúlveda and Juven and Yinela Piranga Valencia from the Ko’revaju Indigenous community, demonstrated her commitment to collaborative practice and her deep respect for ancestral knowledge. Beyond her gallery exhibitions, Góngora Rojas has also gained recognition for her participation in the Colombian television series La ley del corazón (Heart's Decree), where she served as an artist, further bridging the gap between art and everyday life.

Historical Significance and Future Directions

Juliana Góngora Rojas’s work represents a significant contribution to contemporary sculpture, challenging conventional notions of form, materiality, and cultural representation. Her embrace of organic materials and collaborative practice reflects a growing interest in ecological consciousness and Indigenous knowledge systems within the art world. She is part of a generation of artists who are actively dismantling colonial hierarchies, reclaiming ancestral practices, and forging new pathways for artistic expression. Her sculptures are not simply objects to be admired but rather invitations to engage with the subtle energies of the natural world, to listen to the stories embedded within materials, and to recognize our interconnectedness with all living things. As she continues to explore these themes in her future work, Góngora Rojas promises to remain a vital voice in contemporary art, offering a powerful vision of healing, resilience, and the enduring power of connection.