William Cordova often works with discarded everyday objects to create mixed-media installations. Materials like vinyl records, tapes, and Peruvian gourds carry both personal and cultural meaning for the artist. In this case, vinyl records function symbolically as vessels of history, culture, and memory. The items at the base suggest the presence of an informal shrine.
The title "Greatest Hits" has deeper significance for Cordova than just a "best-of" album. The Afro-Peruvian artist is interested in the cultural accomplishments of individuals and groups that have often been overlooked in mainstream history. Micaela Bastidas was an eighteenth-century Peruvian independence martyr; Tom Wilson was a 1960s record producer, best known for his work with the Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan; and Anna Mae Aquash was a prominent leader in the 1970s American Indian Movement. Each record in the tower acts as a marker to remind us of those who have come before us in the music industry and other fields.
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