Label
2024, "Beyond the Iron Curtain: Visions from the Cold War"
Perdido en el Mar features a global map divided into two spheres, one of which contains an upside-down South America, the other of which contains a right-side-up North America. The title, translated from Spanish to mean “Lost at Sea”, suggests a sense of disorientation and uncertainty that pervaded the world during the Cold War. The figure at the center of the composition could reflect the disorienting personal and collective experiences of those living during this period. The white marks are reminiscent of islands located in Latin America and hint at the cultural and political exchanges between North and South America, given that many Latin American countries served as a battleground on which the two superpowers of the Cold War vied for power through backing opposing regimes. The fact that one of the globes is upside down may hint at their attempt to use this region in an effort to tilt the balance of power.
Text by Zach Stephens, Washburn student