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Rio Verde is a socially conscious video game by Cherish Marquez that explores the healing powers of the desert, as well as themes such as Latinx iconography and mental wellness. The game derives its symbolism from the Mexican spiritual cleansing ritual known as “limpia”. Historically, Rio Verde is informed by specific acts of environmental racism perpetrated by the US government that resulted in the radioactive contamination of the New Mexican desert.
Video
Credit: Cherish Marquez
Credit: Cherish Marquez
Credit: Cherish Marquez
Project Credits / Acknowledgements
Garden del Rio Grande curated by Emilie Trice
Participating artists and institutions: John Jota Leaños, Rafael Fajardo, Cherish Marquez, LAST/RESORT Club (Artists: Jeremy Billauer, Sarai Levinson, Cherish Marquez, Scott McKinney, Austin Slominski, Emilie Trice, Jullian Young), Black Cube Nomadic Museum, Denver, Colorado; Desert Valley Art Ranch, San Luis, Colorado
Biography
Cherish Marquez builds complex imaginary worlds through interactive animation and game design. Her work operates from a queer Latinx perspective and is heavily influenced by living in “the in-between.” She combines the digital world with the physical world, often constructing handmade objects that act as interfaces to control the virtual worlds she fabricates. Marquez grew up in a New Mexican border town and her work thus calls attention to issues of immigration and racial oppression. She focuses on the deconstruction of colonialism by critiquing socio-political symbolism and reimagining religious iconography from colonizing institutions, such as the Catholic Church.
