“Kindred” is the first public art installation from San Antonio creator Ashley Perez. Credit: Courtesy Photo / City of San Antonio
The City of San Antonio has introduced a new public art installation that honors Indigenous people connected to Mission San Jose and the community’s enduring legacy.
The 15-foot-tall concrete and steel sculpture, “Kindred,” stands in Council District 3 near Mission Road. It was commissioned from San Antonio artist Ashley Perez, director of the visual arts program at SAY Sí.
Part of the city’s commitment to enhance the World Heritage Trail with public art, “Kindred” depicts two outreached hands connected by rippling water. It represents the Mission San Jose descendants’ bond across time and community, according to an official statement.
Perez drew inspiration from the piece from the late Vincent Huizar, a San Antonio Missions tour guide and Mission San Jose descendant, according to city officials. Perez worked with the Mission San Jose Neighborhood Association, Mission Descendants and National Parks Services to ensure her sculpture truly represented the people’s story.
Perez also drew on historical and personal experiences for the sculpture, which was dedicated during November, National Native American Heritage Month. She incorporated symbols designed to highlight the heritage of the descendants of Mission San Jose.
These motifs include a Native American medicine wheel within a radial family tree on the back of each hand, along with mesquite pods, corn and wheat on the fingers. The images aim to honor the original inhabitants of Mission San Jose and represent their evolving relationship with the land, according to an official statement.
San Antonio Council District 3 worked alongside the city’s departments of Arts & Culture, World Heritage and Public Works for this project, officials said. The project was part of the 2017-2022 Bond Program, and the installation represents Perez’s first public art project.
World Heritage Office Director Colleen Swain said the new piece brings the community’s story to a wider audience.
“This initiative beautifully weaves together our vibrant culture and rich heritage, creating a lasting space where our past and future unite in celebration,” Swain said during the Nov. 14 dedication ceremony.
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