Sandra Vásquez de la Horra at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany
Forgive Us Our Trespasses / Vergib uns unsere Schuld, 14 Sep – 8 Dec 2024
The project examines trespassing—both literal and symbolic—as a way for people to assert their rights, humanity, and community. It explores how crossing boundaries can challenge oppressive systems like heteronormativity, patriarchy, and white supremacy, which create inequalities based on gender, race, sexuality, and class.
Vásquez de la Horra contributed El Ojo del Huracán (The Eye of the Hurricane) (2024), a large drawing that emphasizes the spiritual importance of water in Abya Yala cultures. The artwork depicts a woman rising from the sea with a child, representing hopes and symbols such as the Pincoya, a Chilean sea fertility figure, and Yemanjá, a water spirit from the Yoruba tradition. The title refers to those who cross seas seeking a better life, and in the artist’s poetic words: "Crossing borders / wetbacks* / Leaving everything behind / In the eye of the hurricane we have always been survivors / I never made it to port / In your empty eyes I read that there would be no tomorrow’.
Commissioned by Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), co-produced by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra and HKW, 2024
* Editorial note: 'Wetbacks' is a derogatory term used to refer to Mexican undocumented workers who migrate to the US from Mexico. It is taken up here by the artist to bring attention to the term; not to discriminate against their legal status, but rather to comment on the harsh environmental conditions they face during their migratory journeys.