This rare multiple was produced on the 500th anniversary of Colombus’s genocidal invasion of the Western Hemisphere in 1492. 1492 is generally regarded as the start of a cataclysmic disaster for the humans, animals, plants, and the geographic environment of the so-called Americas, while 1992 is considered the start of a reinvigorated and globally coordinated indigenous resistance movement against European colonialism and white supremacy. This piece conflates the Colombian conquest with the USA’s apocalyptic decades-long series of attacks against Iraq which was initiated in 1991 (and continued into 1992 setting the stage for the full-blown and ultimately failed occupation of Iraq in 2001). In both cases, racist imperialism was the motivating ideology of the invaders.
 
As usual Goméz-Peña’s razor-sharp humor cuts deeply into the bone of the subject matter. This is a rare solo sculptural multiple for Goméz-Peña, who is well known for his performance art and numerous books and writing concerning Latin-American identity, human rights, gender justice, and border cultures.
 
Performance artist/writer Guillermo Goméz-Peña resides in San Francisco where he is the artistic director of La Pocha Nostra. Born and raised in Mexico City, he came to the US in 1978 to study Post-Studio art at Cal Arts. Amongst his numerous awards, Pena has been a MacArthur Fellow, a USA Artists Fellow, a Bessie Award recipient, a Guggenheim Fellow, an American Book Award recipient, and an American Book Award winner. He is a regular contributor to NPR, and many other periodicals, and has published numerous trade and artists’ books on his own and in collaboration with various artists such as Enrique Chagoya.
 
Published by Randolph Street Gallery for the “Multiples ’92” event, the piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.