This skull form—a motif Swiss artist John M Armleder has been exploring for several decades across different media—is inspired by Maya crystal skulls and takes its name from the ancient Maya site of Lubaantun. It engages with the theme of vanitas, i.e. to remind viewers of the transience of life, the futility of worldly pleasures, and the certainty of death.
Lubaantun (2026) also testifies to Armleder’s ongoing practice of blending high and low references, thereby challenging traditional boundaries between artwork, furniture, and decoration. This new edition enters into dialogue with Lubaantun (2002), the first multiple produced by Armleder with JRP|Editions, also a skull cut from a regular silver mirror, creating a reflective relationship between the two works across time.
