A cruel, surreal sight: Various vessels protrude from the cut-open abdomen of La Chola’s reclining Venus, a stark deviation from the usual placement of internal organs and the womb. The sculpture harks back to a peculiar phenomenon that emerged in Europe between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Due to ethical and practical constraints, human cadavers couldn’t be utilized for anatomical study. Consequently, life-sized female wax figures adorned with real hair were created. These figures could be unfurled and disassembled, their individual components detached. Organs within these “Anatomical Venuses” were meticulously crafted and detachable. Often, they were portrayed as “pregnant,” harboring miniature fetuses to elucidate human reproduction and the intricacies of female anatomy.
These effigies were often crafted with artistic allure, designed like painted nudes. Beyond their medical context, they were exhibited at fairs and in cabinets of curiosities, captivating audiences with their aesthetic charm. Thus, the Anatomical Venus was the first scientific medium accessible to all classes. The last of these dolls was made in Germany during the 1930s.
La Chola’s sculpture delves into both dimensions of these figures—scientific enlightenment and the commodification of the female form—though here it is surrendered it to voyeurism. Masculine eyes dissect femininity in all its facets, converting it into an object under scrutiny. The slicing open of the body also bears witness to a form of violence. Within the core of beauty lies vulnerability. However, La Chola’s scope extends further: “I contemplate the emergence of novel forms of femininity and speculate about the potential configurations of reproduction. Why not harbor vessels within the womb?” Vessels have been integral to rituals, here connected to artificial reproduction, echoing the use of retorts. Back in the 1970s, radical feminists envisioned a future in which technology would emancipate women from biological pregnancy, a realm they believed perpetuated oppression and bias against their gender. Over time, in vitro pregnancy has become a reality. Yet, utopias have transformed with the advent of genetic research. Presently, the focus includes multiple parenthood, innovative non-heteronormative cohabitation models, and alternatives to the conventional nuclear family structure. Through her synthetic organs, La Chola’s Venus encapsulates a novel, fluid human identity, where biological sex no longer dictates fundamental life trajectories.
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La Chola Poblete
Venus, marrona rajada, 2023
(Venus Brown Burned)
A cruel, surreal sight: Various vessels protrude from the cut-open abdomen of La Chola’s reclining Venus, a stark deviation from the usual placement of internal organs and the womb. The sculpture harks back to a peculiar phenomenon that emerged in Europe between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Due to ethical and practical constraints, human cadavers couldn’t be utilized for anatomical study. Consequently, life-sized female wax figures adorned with real hair were created. These figures could be unfurled and disassembled, their individual components detached. Organs within these “Anatomical Venuses” were meticulously crafted and detachable. Often, they were portrayed as “pregnant,” harboring miniature fetuses to elucidate human reproduction and the intricacies of female anatomy.
These effigies were often crafted with artistic allure, designed like painted nudes. Beyond their medical context, they were exhibited at fairs and in cabinets of curiosities, captivating audiences with their aesthetic charm. Thus, the Anatomical Venus was the first scientific medium accessible to all classes. The last of these dolls was made in Germany during the 1930s.
La Chola’s sculpture delves into both dimensions of these figures—scientific enlightenment and the commodification of the female form—though here it is surrendered it to voyeurism. Masculine eyes dissect femininity in all its facets, converting it into an object under scrutiny. The slicing open of the body also bears witness to a form of violence. Within the core of beauty lies vulnerability. However, La Chola’s scope extends further: “I contemplate the emergence of novel forms of femininity and speculate about the potential configurations of reproduction. Why not harbor vessels within the womb?” Vessels have been integral to rituals, here connected to artificial reproduction, echoing the use of retorts. Back in the 1970s, radical feminists envisioned a future in which technology would emancipate women from biological pregnancy, a realm they believed perpetuated oppression and bias against their gender. Over time, in vitro pregnancy has become a reality. Yet, utopias have transformed with the advent of genetic research. Presently, the focus includes multiple parenthood, innovative non-heteronormative cohabitation models, and alternatives to the conventional nuclear family structure. Through her synthetic organs, La Chola’s Venus encapsulates a novel, fluid human identity, where biological sex no longer dictates fundamental life trajectories.
Further artworks from this exhibition
La Chola Poblete: Guaymallén
Pop Icon, Holy Virgin, Pachamama: La Chola’s Vírgenes Watercolors
Hard rock, Rolinga, Ballroom: La Chola Poblete’s Banner Installation
Materiality, Metaphors, and Opposites
Myths and Madonnas: Staged Photographs
Playing with Cultural Expectations: La Chola Poblete and the Nazca Lines
Venus papas lays, 2023
The Striped Column: A Tribute to Freddi Mamani Silvestre’s Neo-Andean Architectural Style