Patricia Lagarde

The tenon head sculptures at Chavín de Huántar, Peru were originally placed on the exterior walls of the temple complex. This project examines their lasting impression on the pre-modern viewer and their legacy in the eras that followed. An emphasis on viewer experience and phenomenology demonstrates how movement is central to the foundations of social memory. Additionally, three subsequent periods following the collapse of Chavín are highlighted to demonstrate how memory, mobility, and multiplicity conspire to create connections between the ancient past and the present. Ultimately, this project demonstrates how memory is evoked in stone sculpture across time and the role that images play in congealing social memory.