Cultural & Material Context
In Colombia, the traditional dugout riverboat—technically defined as a monoxyle vessel, carved from a single hollowed trunk—embodies centuries of river navigation across varied indigenous territories, known regionally as curiara, piragua, bongo, champa, or potrillo.
The word itself derives from the Taíno canoae, marking the very first American word incorporated into the Spanish lexicon in the 15th century.
Del Valle reinterprets this historical navigation tool into an autonomous collectible object. By shifting from organic wood carving to industrial metalwork in Medellín, the piece preserves the memory of native river navigation while asserting a sharp, architectural presence.
