M.E. Guadalupe Rubi
Longhorn, 2023
Mixed Media
34x42x10
 
Longhorn is a sculpture that functions as a contemporary Memento Mori by reimagining the animal trophy as a devotional object. Constructed from felted fiber and clay, the work draws from iconography, Latin American folk traditions, and natural history display. The skull becomes a reliquary, marked, adorned, and transformed, and invites the viewer to contemplate sacrifice and resurrection. Botanical growths and saturated color soften the symbol of death, suggesting renewal and spiritual continuity. Referencing the Christian call to remember our impermanence, Longhorn asks the viewer to hold death not as an end, but as a journey towards reverence and memory.