Patrioskas is a series of bullet-shaped nesting dolls inspired by Russian matryoshkas, reimagined as a distinctly Colombian craft. I collaborated with both a high-security prison in Villavicencio and a Colombian artisan to create these works. The original Patrioskas were shaped in lathe by a prisoner known as Rojas, the Lathe Shaper of Colombia, “Colombia” being the name of the patio in Casa Blanca prison where he was confined. Two additional series, Balas Perdidas (Ricochet Bullets) and Bombas (Bombs), were shaped in ceramic in collaboration with Luis Rodríguez, an artisan from Ráquira, a small town in Boyacá, Colombia. In all cases, I painted the dolls depicting Colombia’s most emblematic political figures, ranging from martyrs who died defending freedom, to corrupt leaders, drug patrons, and political clowns.
The first series was intended to be seen as the "original" Colombian craft as it was shaped by a prisoner, and it depicted either martyrs, victims, or corrupted politicians, while the two other series were made to represent bootleg versions, as these where shaped by an artisan.
Balas Perdidas depicts political figures with unusual or absurd stories, actors in politics, kidnapped politicians, mercenaries, and a foreign political figure “Where’s Waldo?” always butting in our government. Bombas portrays overweight political characters whose actions resemble explosions: the Rodríguez-Orejuela brothers, notorious drug lords; Fat Fabiola, a comedian-turned-politician; and Álvaro García Romero, the first captured “parapolítico,” a politician who financed paramilitary groups using government resources.
By collaborating with both Rojas and Luis, and combining traditional craft with critical painting, Patrioskas inquires about the intersections of politics, national identity, and cultural prejudice. The work also aims to question the persistent international stereotypes of Colombia as inherently violent or criminal. Through humor, exaggeration, and craft, the series highlights the contradictions, absurdities, and complexities of Colombian political life while challenging reductive global perceptions.
 |
Simón Bolivar |
 |
Rafael Núñez |
 |
Rafael Uribe Uribe |
 |
Manuel Quintín Lame |
 | ||
Alfonso López Pumarejo |
 |
Jorge Eliecer Gaitán |
 |
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla |
 |
Luis Carlos Galán |
 |
Pablo Escobar Gaviria Alias: El Patrón |
 |
Alvaro Uribe Vélez |
 |
Manuel Marulanda Vélez |
Balas Perdidas - Ricochet Bullets
 |
Ernesto Samper |
 |
Carlos Castaño |
 |
Ingrid Betancourt |
 |
Antanas Mockus |
 |
Bruno Díaz as: Fercho Durango |
 |
George Bush as: Waldo |
The characters in the series "Dressed to Kill" are depicting stereotypes of criminals. This is the last of the sets I made for bootleg Patrioskas. I wanted to depict the different types of thugs that are commonly known, choosing their size by hierarchy of power among society, or representing how big of a threat they are with their size. From small to big: Street Robber, Femme Fatale, Hitman, Serial Killer, Druglord and White Collar.
