Associate Professor of Art Beatriz Cortez's piece, "Stella XX (Absence)," is a steel sculpture representative of a stela, or ancient monolith. It serves as a monument to stelas taken from Mesoamerica while also exploring absence and what it evokes. The sculpture recently debuted at the Venice Biennale’s 60th International Art Exhibition "Foreigners Everywhere.”

UC Davis art professor Beatriz Cortez, a multidisciplinary artist and sculptor, has been invited to participate in the prestigious Venice Biennale arts and culture showcase, marking the first time in 40 years a current faculty member has been tapped for the honor.