Apotropaica

08.01 2024

Mandy Cano Villalobos & Gina Tibbott
August 2nd – 25th

Opening reception Aug 2nd 6-10pm

Apotropaica – an object, assemblage, or act assigned the purpose of warding off evil.

The desire to ward off misfortune and evil persists in every human culture throughout history. Charms, talismans, sanctified ointments – these apotropaic elements testify to our enduring belief in the unseen forces that shape our lives. Their general grotesquery gives away their purpose: grinning gorgons stand watch over medieval cathedrals; a frightening face decorates ancient pottery. Their ugliness guards against those atrocities we wish to evade.

This practice also appears in assemblages and hordes. Throughout history, hordes of protective objects have served as communal fortresses against malevolent forces. In ancient Greece, devotees offered small terracotta or bronze votives to Asclepius, the god of medicine. Molded legs, breasts and eyes represented afflicted body parts, and functioned as physical prayers for divine healing. Witch bottles, dating to the 17th century, were protective containers filled with various items such as nails, hair, urine, and thorns. Buried under hearths or near doorways, these bottles were believed to capture and neutralize malevolent spells and spirits directed at the household. In the Season 1 Episode 4 of Hoarders, ‘Jake’s Fresh Start’ (2009), a young man c