Cecilia Brunson Projects
Skip to main content
  • Menu
  • Artists
  • Exhibitions
  • About
  • News
  • Publications
  • Advisory
  • Contact
Menu

Artworks -

Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Sandra Monterroso, Composiciones Acuáticas III, 2019
Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Sandra Monterroso, Composiciones Acuáticas III, 2019

Sandra Monterroso Guatemalan, b. 1974

Composiciones Acuáticas III, 2019
Indigofera guatemalensis and acrylic on paper
55 x 70 cm
Enquire
%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3ESandra%20Monterroso%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EComposiciones%20Acu%C3%A1ticas%20III%3C/span%3E%2C%20%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2019%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EIndigofera%20guatemalensis%20and%20acrylic%20on%20paper%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E55%20x%2070%20cm%3C/div%3E

Further images

  • (View a larger image of thumbnail 1 ) Sandra Monterroso, Composiciones Acuáticas III, 2019
  • (View a larger image of thumbnail 2 ) Sandra Monterroso, Composiciones Acuáticas III, 2019
In the Composiciones Acuáticas (2019) series, Monterroso uses a blue Mayan plant dye, indigofera guatemalensis. This dye is made by combining a clay mineral, palygorskite, with the pigment from the...
Read more
In the Composiciones Acuáticas (2019) series, Monterroso uses a blue Mayan plant dye, indigofera guatemalensis. This dye is made by combining a clay mineral, palygorskite, with the pigment from the native Central and South American indigo plant, indigofera suffructiosa. Since 300AD, Mayans have used the dye to decorate their bodies as part of the ritual to Chaac, the rain deity. Monterroso uses traditional techniques to make her own dye; fermenting the indigo plant and extracting the distilled pigment from its leaves. The indigofera suffructiosa plant was also cultivated and exported by Spanish colonists. Deemed to be sacred because of its colour, the dye became a valuable commodity that played a role in the transatlantic trade routes that violently shaped the 16th century global landscape. In her Composiciones acuáticas series, Monterroso covers the paper with a fabric soaked in indigofera guatemalensis. This technique allows the pigment to stain the paper naturally, creating geometric and marbled forms that are unique to each work.
Close full details

Provenance

Artist's studio; Guatemala

Exhibitions

Sandra Monterroso: Dyed In the Wool. Cecilia Brunson Projects, London. (19 June - 30 August, 2020)
Gallery                                                       

3G Royal Oak Yard

Bermondsey Street

London SE1 3GE

View us on Google Maps

Tel: +44 (0)20 8088 3696

Opening Hours                                                 
Wednesday - Friday, 11am - 6pm

By appointment outside of these times

 

     

Contact                                     

Email us

Join our mailing list

Instagram

Privacy Policy
Manage cookies
Copyright © 2025 Cecilia Brunson Projects
Site by Artlogic

We use cookies on our website to improve your experience. You can find out why by reading our Privacy Policy.

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies.

Manage cookies
Accept

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Cookie options
Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled.
Improve your experience on the website by storing choices you make about how it should function.
Allow us to collect anonymous usage data in order to improve the experience on our website.
Allow us to identify our visitors so that we can offer personalised, targeted marketing.
Save preferences
Close

Join our mailing list

Signup

* denotes required fields

We use cookies on our website to improve your experience. You can find out why by reading our Privacy Policy.

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies.