From an animistic perspective, Inca myths ascribed vitality to elements of nature such as mountains, bodies of water, stars, stones, caverns, atmospheric occurrences, and the firmament above. The numerous divinities in the Andean cosmos carried a great importance, wielding the authority to bestow luck or misfortune, prosperity or scarcity, life or death. Amidst an era of escalating environmental upheaval and intense unease, there exists a palpable urgency to investigate the ontological connections between human and non-human entities and worlds. Semilla SAGRADA parts from this premise to trace a unifying feature between animistic Amerindian cosmogonies and post-humanist futures,where the traditional boundaries between humans and non-human are challenged and divinity and personhood are dispersed across a broad spectrum of beings. The project revolves around the story of a future-ancient civilization, worshipers of the sacred SEED, a shape-shifting plant-being endowed with miraculous properties. Moving fluidly between the digital and the material, Semilla SAGRADA will exist in two complementary spaces or “planes”. The digital plane - on the metaverse The Spatial version of the Duomo will be re-designed to host a spiritual encounter, featuring three floating manifestations of the sacred seed (3d models) that visitors can explore and engage with. These sacred seeds are each presented as a deity, and serve as portals when clicked on. Through this interactive feature (a pop-up video per seed), visitors are encouraged to contemplate the significance and symbolism of each seed and to develop a deeper understanding of the interplay between technology, nature, and spirituality. The physical plane - installed at the Duomo The study of pre-Columbian textiles has provided valuable insights into the technological and cultural advancements of these societies, as well as their economic and social structures. Building on this concept, Semilla SAGRADA takes physical form as one carefully crafted garment, representing a fictional possession of the enigmatic seed-worshipping civilization. The garment draws inspiration from museum collections of recovered tunics and capes, as well as from Peruvian folk dance costumes. The piece will be constructed using digital embroidery techniques and customised fabrics showcasing iconography created around the figure of the sacred seed.

Rebeca Romero is an interdisciplinary artist born in Peru and based in London. She received an MFA in Fine Arts from Goldsmiths University of London (2020). Her work has been exhibited internationally with exhibitions including Oracles and Algorithms, Copperfield London, UK (2022), and so on, Das Weisse Haus, Austria (2022), Bloomberg New Contemporaries, Firstsite Colchester & South London Gallery, UK (2021), The Obsolete in Reverse, Springseason Gallery, UK (2020) and London Grads Now, Saatchi Gallery, UK (2020). Her text/sound work has been featured in platforms like New Writing with New Contemporaries, South London Gallery, UK (2022) and Future Artefacts, RTM.FM (2021).