Project: The Journey
Artist: Guillermo Bert
Curator: Vivian Zavataro
Booth 605/706/1360

The Warriors are life-sized, laser-cut, wooden sculptures set in an environment that resembles a harsh desert landscape. Inspired by the 2,200-year-old Chinese Terracotta Warriors – 8,000 life-sized soldier statues excavated in Shaanxi province in 1974, Bert’s vision was to honor the warriors of our time by creating an army of immigrant heroes. The relationship between the individual and the collective group is apparent in the installation. Seen individually, the modern-day warriors are strong and proud, but when viewed together – and multiplied in the surrounding mirrors – they become an overwhelming and forceful army.

All the individuals depicted represent real people with real names – David, Alex, Margarita, Nalleli, Eduardo, Sabrina, and others – who stood at the forefront during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Bert encourages us to think about the invisibility of Latinx workers, including nurses, farmers, firefighters, and activists, who kept the American economy thriving when most of the world stayed home. A visual tribute to strength and dedication, The Warriors pay homage to these fighters, acknowledging their courage, resilience, and warrior spirit.