Guillermo Galindo:
Gun shell ceremonial Aztec ankle rattles, 2015
[Empty border patrol gun shells and inner tires from floating devices found at the Rio Grande, Laredo, Texas]
These ankle rattles are designed based on the rattles worn by the Aztec warrior dancers which are originally made either of seashells or hollow seeds. Instead of seashells, this piece uses empty border patrol gun shells joined together with rubber from inner tires that immigrants use to float across the Rio Grande in Laredo Texas. The gun shells were found by photographer Richard Misrach at a border patrol shooting range in Texas. This site was photographed for the Border Cantos book by Aperture. Border Cantos is a binational, cross discipline collaborative exhibit between Galindo and Misrach that has travelled in galleries and museums throughout the US. The ankle rattles are Galindo’s personal sonic device which has been used in performances all over the world.
