ORLANDO, Fla. — Artist Mateo Blanco is known for taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. One of his well-known pieces, “Hopi Girl,” is on exhibit at the Museum of Art in DeLand, central Florida through July 14.
The piece features a young Hopi girl created entirely out of recycled rope Blanco found while sitting on a Florida beach.
“The medium of the sculpture — rope — is a powerful metaphor,” Blanco said. “A strong material like rope, represents the unwavering strength and resilience of not only Native American women, but all women.”
Her cultural hairstyle, popularized by Princess Leia and the Star Wars franchise, represents female strength and the Hopi culture’s influence on film and media.
“It means how hard women work in this world to make their dreams. That piece represents part of history of the United States,” Blanco said. “For most people, that piece is Princess Leia, but it is also a Hopi girl. Hopi is a tribe from Arizona. And the Hopi girls use that kind of hairstyle.”
It took Blanco two years to create “Hopi Girl.”
“We are thrilled to have Mateo Blanco’s ‘Hopi Girl’ sculpture on display as part of The Figure: Selections from the Permanent Collection,” said Elise Sigh, Associate Curator of Art. “Blanco’s profound work not only enriches our galleries but also reminds us of gaps in diversity and empathy for one another through exclusion.”
Growing up in Florida, Blanco spent his days admiring the intricate works of art around the Sunshine State. He always dreamed of creating an art piece incredible enough to be displayed in a state with such meaning to him.
“When creating a piece, I don’t just think of how it will look,” Blanco said. “I think of the deeper meaning and how it’ll make people feel. I want people to feel empowered when they see or purchase my art, like they’re part of the story.”
ORLANDO, Fla. — Artist Mateo Blanco is known for taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. One of his well-known pieces, “Hopi Girl,” is on exhibit at the Museum of Art in DeLand, central Florida through July 14.
The piece features a young Hopi girl created entirely out of recycled rope Blanco found while sitting on a Florida beach.
“The medium of the sculpture — rope — is a powerful metaphor,” Blanco said. “A strong material like rope, represents the unwavering strength and resilience of not only Native American women, but all women.”
Her cultural hairstyle, popularized by Princess Leia and the Star Wars franchise, represents female strength and the Hopi culture’s influence on film and media.
“It means how hard women work in this world to make their dreams. That piece represents part of history of the United States,” Blanco said. “For most people, that piece is Princess Leia, but it is also a Hopi girl. Hopi is a tribe from Arizona. And the Hopi girls use that kind of hairstyle.”
It took Blanco two years to create “Hopi Girl.”
“We are thrilled to have Mateo Blanco’s ‘Hopi Girl’ sculpture on display as part of The Figure: Selections from the Permanent Collection,” said Elise Sigh, Associate Curator of Art. “Blanco’s profound work not only enriches our galleries but also reminds us of gaps in diversity and empathy for one another through exclusion.”
Growing up in Florida, Blanco spent his days admiring the intricate works of art around the Sunshine State. He always dreamed of creating an art piece incredible enough to be displayed in a state with such meaning to him.
“When creating a piece, I don’t just think of how it will look,” Blanco said. “I think of the deeper meaning and how it’ll make people feel. I want people to feel empowered when they see or purchase my art, like they’re part of the story.”