Deliquescence: Sites of Transformation

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, Oxford Road 1151, 91108, San Marino

March 22, 2026 – March 31, 2029

Mercedes Dorame, a Tongva artist, presents "Deliquescence: Sites of Transformation," a large-scale installation that combines monumental photographs with sculptural and painted elements, informed by archival research on regional freshwater springs. This installation explores themes of place, memory, and ancestral histories, linking photography, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and a soundscape of Tongva poetry. Freshwater springs, significant to Indigenous peoples in Southern California, serve as historical sites where cultures thrived. Dorame views these springs as encounters that reveal histories, prompting reflection on preservation and care. Based in Los Angeles, her work invites contemplation of the Tongva presence across time, reimagining the city through Indigenous narratives. "Deliquescence" marks her return to The Huntington, where she was the 2023–24 artist-in-residence.