Máaskab Tzabcan — Futuro Serpiente

Vivaz. Across from Solaz Hotel, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico - Nov 12 – Dec 13, 2026

Salvadorian artist Simón Vega is inspired by science fiction, geopolitics, systems of power and Mesoamerican cultures. In Máaskab Tzabcan, Vega draws from various sources to create six rattlesnake sculptures inspired by the columns of the Temple of Kukulcán at Chichén Itzá. Originally carved in stone, the Mesoamerican deity is depicted descending from the heavens to Earth. The stone columns were used to support the roof of the ancient temple. The title, composed of Yucatec Mayan words for "metal" and "rattlesnake," alludes both to the materials used—recycled metals and objects salvaged from local scrapyards—as well as to the wildlife and environment where the artworks are presented. Standing four meters tall and oriented toward the Sea of Cortez, the sculptures form totemic structures and portals that frame the seaside desert landscape. Vega sees this project as an opportunity to incorporate the wellbeing of animals into his practice. He responded to the desert setting by celebrating a legendary species long feared by contemporary society but venerated by Indigenous cultures. The sci-fi metal serpents are a symbol of resilience and evolution in the face of habitat destruction and human desire to eradicate what we fear. An audio landscape composed in collaboration with the sound artists Jimö Bastian accompanies the sculptures. In the evenings, the artworks light up from within, transforming the viewers’ perception of the artworks as well as the location.

The sculptures reflect on the reuse of materials as a strategy for adaptation and survival. Constructed in Los Cabos working with local fabricators and built from elements recovered in the area, the sculptures incorporate vestiges of the three economic activities that have transformed the peninsula: tourism, construction, and agriculture. While acknowledging the importance of these industries to local development, the pieces invite us to consider their impact on the landscape and ecosystems, underscoring the need for more responsible and sustainable models for the region's future. This point is especially apt when referencing Mayan civilization who famously and inexplicably abandoned their cities and were thought to have “disappeared”. Today climate change, water shortages and the misuse of resources are credited with the collapse of several Maya city-states. In invoking Mayan imagery and history, the artist compels us to consider the Maya as we wrestle with the uncertainty of our own future and the consequences of inaction.

This is the second public art project presented as part of the Foro Mar de Cortés. A public art intervention as part of a sustainability conference is intended to provoke the difficult discussions surrounding the environmental crisis as well as foster deeper forms of understanding the importance of the natural world.

Curator: Pedro Alonzo

Curatorial Assistant: Inés Maldonado Cabañas

IG @simonvegataller