Cattleya aurea

Description: Orchids can be found throughout the world except deserts and areas with permanent snow. The genus “Cattleya” paints the forests of Latin America with color: from Costa Rica to Argentina. Cattleya aurea is the only yellow species with red “lips”—petals that function as a color guide for their pollinators. This species grows on treetops in the lowland forests of Colombia. This piece is part of the “Orquídeachika” series inspired by orchids. In this series, the topographies which are home to these flowers take on a human form to honor the women of our lands which bloom amidst adversity.