Colonial and Indigenous Names of the Coca Plant (Nombre colonial y nombres indígenas de la planta de coca)

The coca plant, from which the narcotic cocaine is derived, has been an enduring object of inquiry for Wilson Díaz, whose work investigates the plant’s cultural, economic, and political meanings throughout the history of Latin America. In this work, the artist presents the scientific and native names for the plant using a pigment extracted from its seeds. The directness of his method is, however, at odds with the plant’s contested roles as consumer product, illegal substance, recreational drug, and traditional medicine. Díaz’s use of coca blurs the boundary between artistic practice, illicit activity, and political activism.