Manto Emplumado 1988

Manto Emplumado was made by Ramirez Villamizar, and it seems to be made of iron or steel. The form is surprisingly organic, given the industrial material and the geometric construction. You can see how Villamizar has worked the metal, cutting and folding, to create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. This piece might at first seem purely abstract, but the title, ‘Feathered Mantle’, suggests something else. It invites us to think about the relationship between industrial production and the natural world. Metal is extracted from the earth, smelted at high temperatures, and then shaped through labor-intensive processes. This sculpture transforms that history into something that resembles delicate plumage, so we can also consider the complex relationship between labor, material transformation, and aesthetic expression.