Miguel Angel Rojas
Medellín-New York
2011
Medellín-New York
In his paper-based work, Medellin-New York, Miguel Ángel Rojas uses coca leaves and dollar bills to spell out the words of the two cities, tied together through the illicit exchange of materials used to make the word, gesturing towards the uncomfortable reality of the drug trafficking trade and the complicity of both America and Colombia within that economic system.
For Colombian artist Miguel Ángel Rojas, issues of economic and social inequality in his native country provide fodder to his artistic practice. Looking at the stark contrasts between the opulent lifestyles of some and the meager existences of others in Colombia, Rojas employs a range of heavily loaded materials in creating two-dimensional works, sculptures, and videos alike.