Barbara J. Phelps, MFA, Fine Artist

The artist gathered organic materials - sticks for bones, vines for tendons, palm fiber for muscles, canvas and tree bark for skin. These items were dipped in wax and cast in bronze via the traditional lost wax process. While the end result has the permanence of bronze it allows light through much like a coarse fabric. This contemporary “Xuaca” embodies the cherished memories of the artist’s loved one and bridges the past with the present.

The Spirit Series Drawings: No.1, No.2 are imprints or afterimages of the re-birth of “Xuaca”’s spirit.

Barbara J. Phelps, MFA, Fine Artist Bronze Sculpture & Works on Paper
1-Rapture 2-Gravitas-Bronze 3-Gravitas-Clay 4-Bronze Objects Print Image Descriptions Home Previous Next	"Gravitas": The Human Figure in Bronze Xuaca Sculpture Series: Xuaca No. I Spirit Series Drawings: No.1, No.2 In ancient Peruvian culture a Xuaca (pronounced “wha-ka”) was a sacred vessel that held the spirit of a deceased person. It was made from organic materials – reeds and clay, cloth and animal skin. Families used this vessel as a remembrance and in the process of creating it reminisced about the deceased. They also used it for contacting the loved one’s departed spirit. The artist utilized this ancient process to deal with loss and grief following the death of a family member.


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	The artist gathered organic materials - sticks for bones, vines for tendons, palm fiber for muscles, canvas and tree bark for skin. These items were dipped in wax and cast in bronze via the traditional lost wax process. While the end result has the permanence of bronze it allows light through much like a coarse fabric. This contemporary “Xuaca” embodies the cherished memories of the artist’s loved one and bridges the past with the present. The Spirit Series Drawings: No.1, No.2 are imprints or afterimages of the re-birth of “Xuaca”’s spirit.
		Comments or questions? Please contact the artist Barbara Copyright © 2011 Barbara Phelps Design. All rights reserved.