Digital Sculpture
I intend to recreate the legend of Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes, specifically the siege of Tenochtitlan. Although the siege historically happened, many of the events have been dramatized and exaggerated in the legend, lending larger than life characteristics on the major characters. The story goes that Cortes arrives to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in search of gold and power with a relatively small group of Conquistadors, who posses weapons, immunity to disease, armor, and mobility (horses) that are superior to that of the technology of the native Aztecs and other nations. Cortes’ force is much too small to take over the Aztec’s alone. Rather than rely on brute force he takes advantage of a native prophecy that causes Aztecs and others to believe he is a power feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Using this belief, Cortes tricks some of the natives, the Tlaxcalans, into allying with him. Cortes leads his small army and the enormous army of the Tlaxcalans to destroy the longstanding city of Tenochtitlan and soon the Aztec civilization with a brutal siege, destroying lives, crops and homes of thousands.
I chose this story because I think that the Conquistadors share many traits with the invasive, yet subtle stink bug.
Turning points:
1. Cortes arrival to Mexico and establishment with local allies using his god-persona.
2. The actual siege of Tenochtitlan, a scene of swarming, destruction, and senseless violence.
3. The aftermath of the battle, in which the once great city is destroyed and many members of all parties involved are dead. This scene is the start of centuries of corruption/an important removal of freedom in Mexico.
I intend to emphasize many parts of the story that are now considered to be historically inaccurate, such as the notion that the Tlaxcalans betrayed fellow natives and the idea that Cortes was actually believed to be a god. I intend to change these because I think that these actions lend well to the sneaky qualities of the stink bug and I also believe that they better show the brutality of Spanish conquest, which was very real.
