Rute Ventura is a Portuguese NYC based multidisciplinary artist. She currently focuses her attention on an ongoing series called Pig-man Voodoo Dolls.

 

The voodoo dolls represent current and former historical leaders and dictators throughout the world who abuse their authoritarian power to force the suppression of political opposition and control the media. In Rute’s work, the world’s bogeymen are no longer untouchable and unassailable, but easily mocked, shamed and reduced to comical tiny caricatures with pig faces, transferring the power towards the people.

 

Ms. Ventura’s work communicates the fragility of modern-day Democracies and the importance of defending Democratic principles by the people in order to force a change in terms of leadership.

 

These are small (5.5” x 5.7”) wall mountable sculptures, made by assembling a few ready-made objects, such as scissors, pins and a wood box; in combination with intricately detailed hand-sewing work of the felt dolls.