Tepetlapa
Montreal, CA. September 2021

Text by Raphaëlle Cormier

Bóveda celeste

It’s hard to tell
where Heaven stops
and Earth begins
Hesitant, you reach a finger
touch the arching skies
How ethereal and enveloping
this milky veil is

Cielos en picado

In Santa Clara del Cobre
local markets glisten
copper plates, vessels,
goblets, jewelry
Hammered and sculpted
During lightning storms
the high conductivity of copper
attracts electrical discharges
Plummeting skies
Thunderbolts penetrate the ground
scattered arborescence
In Santa Clara del Cobre
mountains overflow with cupric meta

Vigilante Nocturno


Derived from indigenous Nahuatl
dialect, the word tepetlapa evokes the
rocky landscape of Tepoztlán, México.
Driving to Santiago Tepetlapa, you are
greeted by a sign that reads “El cerro
del vigilante nocturno”–which translates
as the “Hill of the Nocturnal Watchman”.
The artistic duo Celeste’s name originated
from depictions of celestial bodies
floating above the horizon line. They
now turn their gaze earthbound from
their heavenly station. Representations
of elongated fingers illustrate meticulous
gestures like foraging, digging,
squeezing, holding, or caressing. On the
fleshy womblike surfaces, a predominance
of ochres opens to earthy tones of
browns, grays, and greens. This colour
pallet stems from explorations with
organic matters such as turmeric, avocado,
and lemon. These telluric incarnations
extend to their sculptures, which
arise from the craftsmanship of Santa
Clara del Cobre and the abundance of
copper buried in the soil.
Perched on a hill, Celeste and El
Vigilante Nocturno watch over our
terrestrial everyday life. Their aerial
presence glides over our heads, a ronde
de nuit under the moonlight.