STRATA STACK (PURMAMARCA)

As an American born to Argentine parents, this work draws inspiration from the Cerro de los Siete Colores in Jujuy Province, Northern Argentina. The piece consists of two rammed earth cubes, each measuring 8.5 by 8.5 inches, stacked directly atop one another, resting on a thin ½-inch piece of cedar at their base. Minimal in form yet rooted in ancient practices, rammed earth construction has long been used to shape both dwellings and sacred structures throughout the Americas. The weight of the earth blocks speaks to permanence, while the cedar—light, fragrant, and alive—anchors them with a quiet, grounding presence.

My artistic practice centers on reviving elemental materials and methods. Rammed earth is more than a building technique; it is a cultural inheritance that carries stories of endurance, labor, and connection to the land. By distilling the piece to these simple components, I emphasize balance, proportion, and repetition as markers of rhythm and continuity. In its stillness, the sculpture reawakens those traditions, inviting viewers to recognize how ancient practices of working with the earth remain present in contemporary form.