Teresa Currea has titled this exhibition Integuments, a word that comes from Latin and means protection. Countless living beings use this organic system to protect themselves and gather information about their surroundings; through her finely crafted drawings, she invites us to explore this wonderful, fantastical world in order to understand, in graphic form, how the integument works.
Teresa Currea has titled this exhibition Integuments, a word that comes from Latin and means protection. Countless living beings use this organic system to protect themselves and gather information about their surroundings; through her finely crafted drawings, she invites us to explore this wonderful, fantastical world in order to understand, in graphic form, how the integument works.
The integument's first function is precisely insulation or an immunological barrier against the outside world – we might call it a shell, skin, or feathers. Who doesn't wish to protect themselves when they feel threatened?
Some living beings have specialised cells to coordinate chemical or electrical signals that send a clear warning message. Our neurons serve this function; in others it enables movement, as in the case of larvae; there are also creatures with ciliated bands that allow them to move through water.
Mimicry is one of its most notable features, since through it the integument allows a creature to hide or pass almost unnoticed before predators. Some parasites absorb their nutrients through this integument, making it a form of nourishment. In amphibians it serves for breathing, and in other cases it is a means of eliminating harmful substances or reducing body temperature. By observing its colour, texture, or shape, one can detect illness, deficiencies such as dryness, and even age.
Another interesting aspect of the integument is its importance as a distinguishing and seductive element – through colouring and other characteristics, individuals recognise members of the opposite sex and mating rituals arise. Scales, feathers, hair, horns, nails, and claws are all part of the specialised arsenal found in nearly every living being.
After seeing this exhibition by Teresa Currea we will understand more clearly our relationship with other living beings and with ourselves; we will have the choice of remaining defensive or of interacting, of coming out of our shell to explore the opportunities that open up to us at every step
. The exhibition will be open to the public until March 3, 2016.
Gustavo A. Ortiz Serrano
MAC Director