Calla Lilies or Alcatraces, 2016

The series Calla Lilies or Alcatraces by Heimler & Proc engages in a visual dialogue with the work of Diego Rivera, particularly his 1942 painting Nude with Alcatraces. Rivera’s composition, centred on a woman contemplating calla lilies — alcatraces in Mexico — evokes femininity while simultaneously engaging with mestizo identity and the cultural origins of the Mexican nation.

Heimler & Proc extend this symbolic language through representations of women of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, whose interactions with the flowers suggest themes of fertility, vitality and human interconnectedness. The incorporation of Aztec and Māori motifs, visible in the floral forms and woven baskets, further establishes a dialogue between Mexican and New Zealand visual traditions.

In this synthesis, the artists consider how cultural histories can coexist within a contemporary pictorial language. Their engagement with Rivera becomes an evolving conversation about identity, heritage and belonging, situated within the distinctive cultural landscape of Aotearoa, where indigenous traditions intersect with cosmopolitan experience.