A body of bolos is made of loose joints.
resin, synthetic turquoise, plastic turquoise from nana, avocado pits, avocado ink, sterling silver, avocado dyed cotton, acrylic paint on wood, and rubber tubing
2026
In the mirror, I see my body in conflict with Rick’s bolo. It ordered me to move its cords in precise symmetry. Demanded masculine movements. Bolo cords lined the borders I put up in myself,
but a body of bolos is made of loose joints.
Indulging in the curiosity of pulling the cords askew, I allow myself to fall apart. Becoming a pit, I am full of potential.
Now synonymous with Southwestern masculinity, the bolo is thought of as traditional Indigenous Southwestern adornment. Yet, the format was born only in the early 1900s as an amalgamation of global influences and regional turquoise sentiments. the bolo is a microcosm of the southwest: composted and tangled.