Arizona Illustrated

Cecilia Vicuña is a poet and artist. She was born in Santiago, Chile in 1948 and worked in relative obscurity for several decades, but her creative power and sensitivity is no longer a secret. In the last few years, she has had solo exhibitions of her work at some of the most prestigious museums in the word including the Tate Modern in London and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. She was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2022 Venice Biennale. Now she brings her unique artistic practice to MOCA Tucson for a show called Sonoran Quipu. A quipu (‘knot’ in Quechua) is an ancient Andean communication technology that uses knotted strings to record information and was banned by the Spanish during the colonization of South America. Vicuña reimagines the ancient quipu system, incorporating contemporary materials to highlight its capacity to connect worlds and people. Falconry is an ancient sport that is practiced around the world. Four licensed falconers in Tucson started Sky Island Falconry Experience to share their love of hunting with birds of prey with the public. Architect Rick Joy is based in Tucson but has worked on projects around the globe. His minimalist, refined style defies expectations or classification but always seeks to reflect the environment it is situated in. He met lighting designer and now wife, Claudia Kappl-Joy, while working on a luxury hotel in southern Utah. In this story, the talented couple takes us on a tour of their own private offices and home.