Altar - Kimia Preston

I chose to create an altar to honor and represent the women who lost their lives from femicide in Juarez with the themes of memory, justice, and dignity. Because for the topic that I have chosen, it is centered around the lives of the missing women, the most important aspect is to illustrate the faces of those that have been harmed. I included images of both the lost women and their families because these crimes have a ripple-effect of trauma and to celebrate their memory and impact. In this altar, I intend to use many candles of all shapes and sizes to demonstrate the uniqueness of women to convey that the existences of these women will burn in our memories forever and will guide society towards a state of justice. Because each candle is a different size, shape, or color, it shows that women cannot be understood in one context, but rather they take on many different forms and roles in society. To represent earth, I want to honor their earthly presence and impact that these women have had on their communities through a series of linked chains/bracelets. These pieces of jewelry are traditionally worn by women, but by linking them together it shows that women will stand together in the face of injustice and it redefines female strength. I included a bottle of perfume to remind viewers that these women were dignified and should be treated with respect. The element of water in the altar is traditionally used to quench the souls of the departed on their long journey. Because these women were abused or murdered inhumanely, the water will be placed in an extravagant glass chalice to illustrate the worth of these women despite the tragedies that they have endured. I included bright orange flowers to contrast to the rest of the altar to demonstrate the bright lives these women have lived and will never be lost or forgotten.