Beatriz Cortez

Inspired by and named after the 260-day agricultural calendar of the Maya, the hypocycloid motion produced by the gears on the sculptures enacts both linear and cyclical time. While the pieces pyramidal shapes draw the eye upwards to the sky and the Maya also tracked the 365-day solar year, these calendars sync with the rhythms of earthly patterns — the length of human gestation and the corn harvest. The concepts of simultaneity abound in this work: the coupled locations at the far points of the Park, the ancient and industrial aesthetics, and the symbolic dualism of immigrant experience.

This sculpture was originally commissioned by Clockshop for the Bowtie Project, with a sister sculpture installed at the Hammer Museum for Made In L.A. 2018.

Cortez spoke about their work for our Exhibition Audio Guide. Listen by clicking below or calling 646-217-4440 ext. 2#

Artwork images by Scott Lynch.