Violeta Quispe is an artist and activist linked to Andean traditions of Quechua culture in the Ayacucho region of Peru. The final letters “e” and “x” in the name Ekeke Sarhuinx stress the gender-neutral aspect of the Sarhuina figure which combines male elements, such as the poncho, the cigar, and the moustache, with skirts and sandals that are typically female. The megaphone, the gas mask, and the boxing glove with the phrase “constant struggle” denote her political activism, while the ball and the little car – toys usually associated with boys – interrogate gender conventions. Equally, flags, books, and slogans defend sexual freedom and LGBTQIAP+ rights. The “blood of Christ wine” stands as a critique of Christian conservatism and the soft- drink “Hinca-Cola” denounces cultural imperialism. Quispe also incorporates references to Andean culture, such as the neon colours of Chicha street art, the different types of corn, the coca leaf, and musical instruments such as the Pan flute. In the lower section, there are depictions of the sun and moon deities, accompanied by the phrase “Kuyaykusqay Kuyaykusqaymi”, meaning “love is love” in Quechua.
This is the first time the work of Violeta Quispe is presented at Biennale Arte.
—Matheus de Andrade
