Keyring / Double Loop

KEYRING / DOUBLE LOOP
2015, Vinyl, steel rings, ink, lucite
10 x 5 x 1 in. / 25.4 x 12.7 x 2.5 cm.

“Keyring / Double Loop” is a translucent sculpture consisting of two identical, interlocked, double-sided keychains embalmed in lucite. One side of the keychain’s surface depicts the decommissioned school bus at the heart of “La Camioneta.” On its other side, the surface displays the design adorning the titular bus after its transformation is complete. The object thus indexes both moments in the life of the bus that bookend the span of time elapsed in the film—which focuses exclusively on the bus’s liminal state—and incorporates them into a single travel souvenir. The title simultaneously refers to the circular, loop-like structure of the the film, questioning the notion of the journey, and reflects the word used in cryptography to describe a database of multiple keys or passwords – a subtle nod to the idea that, contrary to its seemingly decorative appearance, a camioneta‘s patterned design—evoking ancient mummification practices and more directly referencing the Mayan huipil textile tradition—communicates essential information to potential passengers about place and identity without relying on language.