Domestication

Museum Pick: January 21-February 2, 2009

By: Mariana Castro De Ali
Submitted: 01/28/2008

Corn, a women's invention, inspired domestication. Indians modified seeds gradually in what is known as plant domestication until they developed the corn we know today.

This piece was presented in my first solo show in 2007 in my hometown Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. It is an agricultural town where Norman Bourloug did his experiments on genetic engineering that resulted in the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his "Green Revolution." Today, however, many women in Sonora are dying from cancer caused by the agrochemicals used in the fields.

With this piece, I wanted to make people question themselves, their unquestioning use of agrochemicals and the human losses that we are all suffering along with the erosion of the agricultural fields.

See also Tribute, my piece that uses tampons to offer tribute to all women suffering from cancer and all those who have already passed away.