LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Inside the Windgate Center of Art and Design on the campus of UA Little Rock is 15 sculptures that make up what’s titled CORPUS. 

CORPUS is an installation by a Peruvian American artist named Kukuli Velarde. 

Nathan Larson, UA Little Rock’s interim art gallery director says the reason behind  Kukuli’s art making it to UA Little Rock is because of a student who was on a university field trip to Washington DC.

“A student was writing a paper on the Renwick Gallery in Washington DC, and she contacted Kukuli and that started the conversation,” said Larson. 

This conversation led to Kukuli agreeing to have her work displayed in Little Rock. 

“We’re very lucky to have it here. It’s an amazing collection of work that she’s been working on for many years,” said Larson.

CORPUS is a body of work that’s a symbolic representation of the annual Corpus Christi festival in Cusco, Peru. 

Kukuli merges pre-Columbian forms with European catholic iconography to emphasize Spanish colonialism’s impact on indigenous identity. 

Larson, who’s stepping in as interim director, says this is the kind of exhibition where he can learn about a whole new area of the world. 

He says growing his knowledge is something he and UA Little Rock hopes students and people who come visit gain as well. 

The exhibit is free to the public and will run through Friday, March 4th. 

As part of the Windgate Distinguished Guest Lecture Series, on February 24^th, Kukuli will be at UA Little Rock to give a presentation.

The Windgate Center of Art and Design is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

 Saturdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays.