Untitled: Migration Series
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Untitled: Migration Series (formerly Transmigration Series) reflects Porfirio Gutiérrez's grounding in Zapotec creative heritage. The work stems from his interest in material exploration and possibilities beyond traditions. Its vibrant red tones are created using cochineal, a highly valued insect-derived natural dye, with variations in hue and richness achieved by carefully adjusting the pH of the dye bath through the addition of acidic or alkaline substances. Gutiérrez created the textile canvas on a treadle loom, which is activated by a foot pedal that moves the warp threads back and forth, allowing the weft threads to pass between them.
The series takes its imagery and its name from the monarch butterfly, whose extraordinary annual migration spans thousands of miles between Canada, the United States, and central Mexico. Arriving in Mexico each year around Día de los Muertos, the monarchs are traditionally understood as the returning souls of ancestors, and they have become a powerful symbol of migration, resilience, and the movement of people and knowledge across borders. Through both its materials and techniques, the work reflects Gutiérrez's interest in articulating contemporary Indigenous experiences while also engaging broader questions about the social and cultural significance of traditional knowledge.
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