From hamburgers to indigenous pottery

Posted by Karen Myers on July 14, 2021

The two self-portraits of Eva Hozinez show her American and indigenous heritages.

On Friday, July 16, a reception for the Summer Artists in Residence at West Chester University show which runs through mid-August will feature the work of Eva Hozinez. The reception features her current work, which is a departure from her hamburger series. “I did a burger series for fun with no deep meaning,” said Hozinez. “I wanted people to look at it and smile.”

In a nod to her prior work, Hozinez created a hamburger that fits with the aesthetics of this show.

Faced with creating new work during the one month program, inspiration came from an unexpected source. “My birth mother [in Peru] reached out to me. I found out that I am a part of a family that is 90% indigenous. I am a part of the Shipibo-Conibo people – near the Amazon on the Ucayali River.”

“I want to shine a light on their textile work,” said Hozinez explaining her new-found connection to an old people. She sees the live-edge wood shelves she is using to display her work as an echo of the rainforest. “They all live a shamanistic lifestyle and these patterns represent their journey through ayahuasca.”

Works by Sam Diamond are featured in the show, using the imperfect to preserve what the vessel has endured.

Shipibo-Conibo women use the visions produced by this hallucinogenic vine to create the distinctive geometric patterns that Hozinez reflects in her pottery.

“This sparked my joy,” said Hozinez reflecting on the discovery of her heritage. “I will continue making pots and hope to travel to Peru in the next year or so to meet my birth family.”

The show runs from July 12 through August 13 with a reception from 5 – 7 pm on Friday, July 16 at the Knauer Gallery in the Swope Music Building. Also featured is a fellow ceramic artist in residence Sam Diamond.

Shipibo-Conibo Indigenous Culture

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About Karen Myers

Karen Myers lives in Pocopson Township and has written for several local publications. A strong supporter of our community, Karen has served on several non-profit boards, such as Pocopson Elementary PTO, The United Way of Southern Chester County, Chester County Art Association and Tick Tock Early Learning Center. She received her M.B.A. from the University of Delaware and worked in marketing and operations with a focus on banking.