The works on view were conceived during the early days of the pandemic, when protests were erupting both in Moscoso’s current home in the U.S. and in her home country of Colombia, albeit for different reasons. With reflective shield-like panels, the works are constructed to hang from the ceiling away from the wall, as if in acts of defiance. Their detailed surface designs devolve into elaborate compositional structures that nearly refuse legibility.
The graphic shapes and silhouettes of flowers likewise predominate this collection of works: the Cattleya Trianae orchid, the national flower of Colombia, and the purple passion flower, which originated in subtropical South America and is one of the state flowers of Tennessee. Fragile, with explicit resources needed to survive and thrive, these flowers have become an important metaphor for Moscoso, reflecting the fragility of both of her countries within systems of oppression. The history of the orchid, a valuable good traded between colonies and monarchies, also fuels Moscoso’s interest in presenting it as a symbol of systems of exploitation and exportation.
Yet, while they are deeply embedded in the context of political and social systems, Moscoso’s works loudly embrace hope with their bright color palette inspired by her myriad experiences in Colombia. With this new body of work, Moscoso enmeshes beauty and growth amid camouflaged structures, finding hope even amid oppression.
