CACTI Mirage

A contemporary sculpture to the most resilient symbol of the borderlands. 

The Prickly Pear Cactus, or “Nopal,” stands indifferent to the political line that divides Mexico and Texas. Endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert, it is a plant that thrives where nothing else can— deeply woven into Mexican identity and set at the center of its national flag. To honor this resilience, the Nopal is rendered here in clear, almost invisible acrylic. Stripped of its flesh, what remains is only its silhouette, its memory, its ghost: a handcrafted sculpture about what we choose to encase, and what we choose to remember. 

These pieces are not numbered by color; they are numbered by time. Following the exact same walk twenty-four hours later, Editions 1 through 5 represent Day One in the desert, while Editions 6 through 10 capture Day Two. The only color lives deep inside each hand-turned base, capturing a specific fragment of the desert's cycle: 

CACTI Mirage — Clear: The harsh transparency of the desert air in the morning.

CACTI Ash — Grey: Like ash suspended in air, or desert mist at dawn.

CACTI Night — Blue: The depth of the midnight desert sky stretching across Texas and Mexico.

CACTI Oasis — Neon Green: The electric burst of new life after a rare rain—the exact moment the cactus blooms, glowing inherently.

CACTI Sunset — Neon Orange: The burning crescendo of the day, capturing the Chihuahuan sky at dusk when the horizon catches fire.

Material: Acrylic

Dimensions: H: 48 cm x W: 29 cm x D: 17 cm diameter