Uploaded September 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
When OMCA invited Tanya Aguiñiga to participate in Hella Feminist, her original idea included an exorcism. She wanted to create a sculpture and carry out a cleansing ritual to expel harmful patriarchal energy from the Museum.
In pre-pandemic 2020, she released a public call for femme and femme-identified contributors to share objects and stories that museums exclude. Twenty-nine contributors answered the call for the making of this sculpture, which Aguiñiga then weaved into a hanging textile in the form of Coatlicue, the Mexican goddess of earth. The geometric form of minerals arranged on the platform are intended as a generator, or purifier working in concert with the hanging textile she is offering as an amulet.
Over time, Aguiñiga’s thinking shifted away from the concept of a museum exorcism, which she came to see as outside her work as an artist. Instead, the final monumental piece focuses on raising up the stories of femme-identified folks and calling others to listen.
Build Belonging Together. Visit the Oakland Museum of California – OMCA for short.
w: museumca.org
ig: @oaklandmuseumca
fb: @museumca
e: hi@museumca.org
a: 1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94607
When OMCA invited Tanya Aguiñiga to participate in Hella Feminist, her original idea included an exorcism. She wanted to create a sculpture and carry out a cleansing ritual to expel harmful patriarchal energy from the Museum.
In pre-pandemic 2020, she released a public call for femme and femme-identified contributors to share objects and stories that museums exclude. Twenty-nine contributors answered the call for the making of this sculpture, which Aguiñiga then weaved into a hanging textile in the form of Coatlicue, the Mexican goddess of earth. The geometric form of minerals arranged on the platform are intended as a generator, or purifier working in concert with the hanging textile she is offering as an amulet.
Over time, Aguiñiga’s thinking shifted away from the concept of a museum exorcism, which she came to see as outside her work as an artist. Instead, the final monumental piece focuses on raising up the stories of femme-identified folks and calling others to listen.
Build Belonging Together. Visit the Oakland Museum of California – OMCA for short.
w: museumca.org
ig: @oaklandmuseumca
fb: @museumca
e: hi@museumca.org
a: 1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94607
