Chicago City Wire

The Art Institute of Chicago is set to host an exhibition titled "En el principio / In the beginning," featuring Colombian sculptor Juliana Góngora Rojas. The installation, scheduled from March 29 to July 28, 2025, marks Góngora's first solo exhibition at a major museum in the United States. Known for her work with organic materials such as soil, salt, stones, and spider threads, Góngora explores the transformative potential of everyday actions and materials.

For this exhibition, Góngora has collaborated with fellow artist Matías Quintero Sepúlveda and Juven and Yinela Piranga Valencia from the Ko’revaju Indigenous community in Northern Colombia. Together, they have created an installation that reflects their shared artistic and spiritual dialogue over several years. The artwork weaves together elements like earth pigments, milk, plant fibers, and seeds to convey themes of interconnectedness and creation.

Central to the exhibition are two significant works: "Manto celeste" (Celestial Cloth) and "Piso de tierra" (Earth Floor). "Manto celeste" is a textile piece incorporating blue pigmentation similar to that used by ancient Egyptians to symbolize motherhood and the cosmic sky. "Piso de tierra," a site-specific floor installation made with local soil and clay, represents life-sustaining elements like earth and seed. Other objects on display use sacred materials native to Colombia, honoring their traditional uses.

Anna Burkhardt Pérez, Neville Bryan Assistant Curator of Architecture and Design at the Art Institute of Chicago stated: “We share the artists’ collective vision of environmental stewardship and the show honors the materials that come from the earth—those created by a larger force.” She added that these works highlight simplicity, humility, and intention in daily actions while creating a communal space for spirituality within the museum.

The exhibition is curated by Anna Burckhardt Pérez.