Trafficking Hunger

This sculpture explores the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, showing the contrast between the wealth of those in power and the struggles of ordinary people. The stack of black packets represent the illegal drug trade, a key source of income for the government. The pedestal holding them up reflects a system of corruption built on the suffering of the people.

The sculpture stands in a pool of blood to reminds us of the human cost—violence and hardship that have drained the country for more than two decades. In Venezuela, hunger has become a tool of control. Through programs like CLAP bags, the government provides minimal food supplies to secure loyalty, making survival dependent on obedience. This use of hunger as a weapon ensures that people remain vulnerable and dependent.

At the top of the sculpture tower, a knife cuts open one of the packets to reveal not drugs, but “harina P.A.N.,” a flour essential for making arepas, a staple in Venezuelan households. This contrast highlights the irony: while the government profits from illegal activities, many Venezuelans struggle to access basic food.

This art piece encourages viewers to think about the systems that allow inequality and suffering to persist, and to reflect on how something as basic as food can be used to manipulate and oppress.