Cecilia Vicuña

Palabrarma (obreros palabreando)

Palabrarma (obreros palabreando) by Cecilia Vicuña is a series of works in which the artist blends poetry, political commentary and graphic design. The title itself is a portmanteau that unites the words palabra (word) and arma (weapon) that speaks literally of the power of words through their poetic potential. A poet herself, Vicuña developed a long series of palabrarmas on diverse media that were often used as slogans in political demonstrations. They also operate as a type of concrete poetry, as much as drawings/paintings in and of themselves.

Palabrarma (obreros palabreando) depicts the work palabrarma as being welded by metal workers. The title in parenthesis “workers wording” refers not only to the workers talking to each other, and thus using their words to create personal and most likely political content, but at the same time crafting the word palabrarma itself with what could be sheets of metal. This kind of visual wordplay is characteristic of Vicuña’s work and merges her practice with words and images, as much as her political convictions and participation in activism. Despite the apparently simple nature of the work, it is representative of the complex and multidisciplinary nature of Vicuña’s work.