Koki Ruiz - art for the papal visit

The Pope is coming to Paraguay 10th-12th July, and everyone is terribly excited. Koki Ruiz, the artist responsible for the Holy Week procession in Tañarandy (see this post), was commissioned to build an altar / work of art for the occasion. He insisted on creating it in San Ignacio rather than the capital, so his workshop has been open to the public for people to see the work in progress up close.
 

Yours truly with San Ignacio / St Ignatius. Yes, I'm wearing a coat and gloves and scarf - winter has arrived!

 The main images are of St Ignatius (founder of the Jesuits, of whom the Pope is one) and St Francis (whose name he chose). The depictions are composed entirely of seeds, pulses and grains grown in Paraguay (see last picture).

Close-up of the maize and coconut seed designs - like on the columns either side of St Ignatius.

 The pillars and decorative panels are made with ears of maize and coconut seeds. Visiting members of the public sign their names on the green cocos.

With Demetria's son Hector.

St Francis, and a column in progress (she's drilling holes to tie the maize on)

St Francis' finger up close: Sunflower seeds, soya beans, poroto, feichao, locro....all their natural colours.