01. Metalism y El efecto POTOSI
Conjecture - The Slow Carcinization of the Landscape
Let's imagine a hypothetical observer from another galactic system, casually contemplating our current planetary landscape, seeking to understand it. They might unpretentiously suggest that much of the land directly impacted by human action converges, in one way or another, towards low-syntropy structures. That is, they become a kind of mundane, homogenized, and de-characterized panorama, showing a decrease in the complexity and organization of natural actors, which in turn reduces the ecosystem's available resources and energy. If we then add another idea from evolutionary biology to this mix – carcinization, the evolutionary convergence where some crustaceans from distinct families evolve into a crab-like form – we get a curious conceptual junction of perspectives from the biological field to physical space. In other words, landscapes and scenarios, despite disparate forms and origins, converge toward a singular direction.
While in biology, carcinization is an efficient evolutionary adaptation for specific environments, in our case, the landscape under human action represents the metamorphosis of highly biodiverse environments into a monocultural tableau. This is efficient for production but inherently simplified, vulnerable and, certainly, dependent on pesticides, conservation efforts, cleanup, et cetera. This historical trajectory shapes up as a kind of "degradation program," which, despite its variations over time, has remained consistent in its essence: maximizing economic benefit at the expense of ecosystem health.
Which Direction? Culture and Recurring Images
Broadly speaking, the direction our actions steer us in today's society can also be inferred from the sum of all the symbols and images we create. Internet searches, roughly speaking, would indicate some directions that "culture" is taking. To borrow astronomical analogies, each tangled cluster of thousands of images could become galaxies that reveal the recurrence of repetitive procedures, underlying patterns, and mechanisms operating sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly. Each, with its unique structure and form, points to orderings inherent in our economic or political arrangement. It's an immense behavioral negative/positive.
Here's a crucial point: if we assume that in Western democracies there's less explicit censorship and more algorithmic manipulation, the absence of certain content acts as a revealing index. Such a gap manifests as an informational black hole, whose gravitational repression serves as both a warning and an analytical data point. Moreover, these "shadows" of our societal actions, however repressed and suppressed, will inevitably emerge elsewhere, transfigured as ghosts, haunting desolate and empty places.
Safe Search: Off - Dynamics of Power and Exploitation
So, let's return to the immense recursivity of images any internet search brings us, where similar photos of distinct places emerge in vast quantity and quality. This, of course, stems from the tiresome repetition of our actions. In this case, it's a kind of "advanced program" of global degradation, unveiling a long list of folly and uncomfortable themes: illegal-timber; war-climate-change; amazon-deforestation; demilitarize-decolonize; drugs-illicit-market; girls-gone-wild; narcomining; irregular-landfill; forever-chemicals; and other stark realities.
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Normalization of environmental disasters, destruction of biomes, deregulation of complex ecosystems. Practical effect: accelerated release of vast quantities of carbon, environmental degradation, and extinction on a planetary scale.
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Persistence, banality, and sheer scale of wars and armed conflicts, coupled with a subsequent surge in "defense" spending (D. Eisenhower's Military-Industrial complex). Over 110 conflicts are currently ongoing globally (2025), with military expenditures estimated to exceed $2 trillion.
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Disinformation. Alienation. Flat-Earthism as mechanisms of control and ideological diversion. There's also much hidden censorship within this brew of public opinion manipulation and suppression of critical voices. To thicken the plot further, the mass dissemination of false information and conspiracy theories practically creates ideological echo chambers impenetrable to dissenting ideas, polarizes society, and obscures an objective reading of facts. Practical effect: perception management.
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Creation of powerful "brainets" (neural networks, closed systems where multiple agents/brains communicate directly) with narratives parallel to scientific consensus, confined to cohesive social groups. All driven by algorithms and influencers. These are social bubbles with strong political and emotional appeal, reinforcing pre-existing beliefs through self-perpetuating ideas and techniques that hinder exposure to different perspectives, further fragmenting the social fabric across a broad political spectrum.
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Widespread destruction of biomes, forests, and woodlands as a driver of illegal economic practices, where a vast network of black markets and sophisticated financial mechanisms with far-reaching societal permeability create a gigantic predatory flow.
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Intentional inability to reach a minimum consensus among major players for coordinated global action... reflected in the rise of extremist political stances. Ultimately, it's the populist surge of nationalism and intolerance as tools of division and control, subtly embedded in a consent engineering framework by social media algorithms, government surveillance agencies, and espionage with indiscriminate illegal instruments.
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The economy of illegality, whose complementary role to the formal world, even under state control (democratic or not), has become essential for market regulation and maintenance. We overtly see the creation of parallel mechanisms for asset transactions, e.g. cryptocurrencies. These collateral structures, these gray areas, whose unregulated nature lubricates and re-feeds the economic system. Siamese twins - vitally interdependent.
The Convergence of Gaze - Perspective of Future and Regression
Ultimately, to grasp the current paradigm of Amazonian alteration and occupation, one must understand that older, more refined, and extensively tested legal and systematic procedures structure and direct this whole. Perhaps the War of the Pacific (1879-1883) was the consolidation, or perhaps the crowning, of a mineral exploitation model initiated with the conquest of the Americas. A grand historical arc: Potosí - Humberstone.
cleaning_field_chain_installation
Adam Smith, in his keen insight, saw in the silver mountain of Potosí the transcendence of mere natural resource exploitation to the very personification of the central gear in the nascent machinery of capitalism. The vast quantity of metal unearthed from its depths reverberated across the globe, catalyzing trade, financing maritime expansion, and fueling Spain's imperial ambitions. Smith recognized that silver wasn't just an intrinsically valuable commodity; it was a vector of economic and political power, capable of shifting trade balances, inflating markets, and sustaining conflicts that redrew the geopolitical map of the era. In his view, Potosí represented an inflection point, where large-scale wealth extraction from one global spot propelled transformations of truly worldwide reach. And it all started in Bolivia...
1553 - 1928
The same regime of violence, war, land grabbing, wealth, destruction, amnesty and abandonment. Again, illegal activities are essential drivers of these processes. They use low-skilled labor, demand low technology, generate cash, and, above all, leave behind scorched, contaminated land, stripped of its native vegetation. While environmentally unsustainable, a modern agro-industrial rationality scheme runs in parallel, with bureaucratic support and control to plan and finance production, just like any other asset. This reality is a carbon copy of most local issues, of the land itself and its physical needs for self-maintenance and equilibrium. It's a ticking time bomb!
The Coming Panorama…
If my idea holds true, these many images are indeed the germ of future possibilities that will materialize tomorrow. Rehashed concepts and thoughts, cooked together with a trail of destruction and greed. A boiling pot!
Yes, there are good things on the horizon. New technologies in protein and crystal development can incredibly accelerate biological-biochemical recovery processes, all emerging in this dawn of AI. There are also other technological advancements outside the military field that will definitively alter the landscape we live in. Will they become the norm?
Ultimately, this artistic work aims to raise awareness, to visually shape the construction of what's crystallizing today in the Amazon region and the world: a model from the past. A kind of Kitsch retro-futurism, with clusters of wealth and vast underdevelopment, where there’s no utopia to fantasize about or safe place to return to. Perhaps, a nostalgia for a past we don't belong to. What might remain are attempts to articulate foreign symbols, statues of liberty, landslides, floods, wildfires, and golden calves.
A Glimpse into the Future
In 1961, Edward Lorenz, one of the first scientists to research climate with computational models, inadvertently discovered that climate is an unstable system in which a small change in one part of the globe can trigger drastic alterations on a planetary scale. He made this discovery by running a program with slightly altered data. Truth be told, this is the point that interests us more than ever. To think that the disordered occupation of recent decades, which has already consumed around twenty percent or more of the Amazon biome, can be seen as a general axiom. Coupled with persistent neglect and the perpetually reluctant enforcement of environmental obligations and compensations by large industry and the market, what can we expect from the world being built? Deep down, it's all about money. But the question remains: when the climate genie gets out of the bottle, who will pay the bill? The many or the few?
_salitre_mining_leftover
Rodrigo Petrella
02. Miscellanea. noun. a collection containing a variety of sorts of things. Synonyms: assortment, medley, miscellany, mixed bag, mixture, motley, potpourri, salmagundi, smorgasbord, variety.
03. Post_Amazon
The Unfolding of a World: Glimpses from the Post-Amazon
Aesthetics of Survival
My privilege as curator for Rodrigo Petrella's 2023 solo exhibition at MuVIM in Valencia, "The Indigenous Month in Times of Post-Amazon," afforded me a unique vantage point into a body of work that deliberately transcends the confines of pure anthropological or ethnographic inquiry. We are not merely documenting; we are engaging within a complex reality of Amazonian Indigenous life through a fundamentally aesthetic lens. Petrella, as an artist and photographer, allows the lines between strict documentation and contemporary art to blur, stretching the medium's capacity to cross into territories typically reserved for political, environmental, and historical analysis. The exhibition, at its core, delves into the devastating threats faced by Amazonian Indigenous peoples, yet it equally insists on highlighting their extraordinary resilience, expressed through the enduring forces of memory, territory, and culture in constant flux.
On Territories and Their Fluid Geometries: A Geography of Vulnerability and Resilience
1700- 1746- 1835- 1861
The exhibition opens with two maps—one French from 1829, the other an undated German piece—not as static cartographic markers, but as metaphors for the dynamic and provisional nature of Indigenous territories. They signify not only the vastness of Brazil and the Amazon, but, more importantly, the ever-shifting localization of distinct ethnic groups. These populations are in a constant state of adjustment, sometimes nomadic, at other times compelled by pressures from national society. This notion of territory as a continuous, provisional movement pervades the exhibition, reflecting the Indigenous peoples' relentless efforts at conservation, loss, readjustment, and appropriation in conditions of extreme vulnerability. It is a subtle commentary on the broader planetary phenomenon we might term the "slow carcinization of the landscape," where complex natural systems are relentlessly simplified into monocultural tableaus. The maps, then, serve as a testament to worlds both mapped and unmappable, revealing Indigenous existence as one that resists rigid containment, continuously asserting its presence against an increasingly encroaching, homogenizing force.
The Poetics of Memory: Collaborative Acts of Preservation
A core tension in this exhibition lies in the precarious balance between the widespread devastation Indigenous peoples endure and the imaginative possibilities that art can summon to envision other horizons and alternative futures. Crucially, the work was not born from a pre-established concept nor is simply about Indigenous peoples, but, in part, with them. It grew organically from specific situations as they unfolded, rather than from a predetermined concept. On one occasion, Rodrigo shared his photographs with the Xavante Indigenous people. Their subsequent request—a plea to "fix memory" against the terrifying risk of its dissolution, given the rapid loss of community customs—transformed the project into a profound collaborative act of preservation. The Xavante's own small annotations and drawings on these photographs are particularly revelatory. Their representational conventions, unburdened by Western perspective, are not a deficiency but rather reflect a distinct epistemological vision—a distinct way of knowing and representing the world. This profound insight underscores that the loss of each language is, quite literally, the loss of an entire world: a world of named things, a universe of rituals, culinary arts, eroticisms, specific ways of dressing, and intricate systems of naming. Rodrigo's lens, by helping to record these precious fragments, becomes an anchor in the relentless torrent of cultural erosion, actively illuminating a latent aura that resides within their threatened heritage. It is a silent power, inherent in their forms of knowing and being, awaiting activation.
Metals, Forests, and Bodies as echoes of Material and Spirit: Art as Inquiring Presence
Throughout the exhibition, particular images serve as powerful symbolic weight and stark denunciations. Consider the large-format photograph crafted to appear as if burned onto metal. Its bronze-gold hue carries a potent double meaning: on one hand, it refers to the relentless mining practices that excavate the forests, the destructive, often illegal, search for minerals. Yet, simultaneously, it casts a resplendent glow upon the magnificent Amazonian forests that stand still . This duality presents a towering forest, with its intricate textures of fronds and intertwining lianas, as an effulgent manifestation of nature’s enduring spirit. Similarly, the presence of a Pau Brasil (Brazilwood) tree trunk on the ground, a species emblematic of the region and prized for its noble wood, reinforces this duality. Its potent red pulp, suggestive of "interior blood" or a body flayed by its bark, resonates with Indigenous body painting and implies the piece is inhabited by a vital energy, a living soul—not in a Christian spiritual sense, but as an inherent principle of vitality. For some groups, like the Tupi-Guarani, the tree is even conceived as a vehicle for the word, a powerful metaphor for nature’s life-giving force amidst the encroaching clearings. These elements, through Rodrigo's aesthetic framing, compel us to perceive their deeper, latent presence, not merely as inert objects but as living entities imbued with cultural and spiritual significance that defy Western commodification. Elsewhere, spectral faces emerge, referencing both environmental devastation and the invocation of ancestors through ritual. These black-and-white countenances seem to inquire, to challenge, to interpelate, acting as a silent, yet profound, plea for solidarity in these urgent times, embodying the haunting presence of what is lost and the enduring call for recognition.
Ritual as Resistance: Beauty, Adaptation and Cultural Affirmation
Indigenous rituals, as the exhibition highlights, are immensely potent symbolic concentrations, rich in multiple dimensions. They are expressions of community unity, reaffirming social pacts in every ceremony—rituals of mourning, joy, play, propitiation, and appeals to nature’s bounty. These are complex, multifaceted enactments, akin to intricate theatrical performances with their own codes and disparate elements. A particularly striking sequence depicts an unusual ritual, which Rodrigo was fortunate enough to document. Images show the preparation of bodies painted predominantly in red and black, capturing the collective gaze of a multitude anticipating or congregating. Another powerful depiction features a warrior ritual, or conflict ritual, an occasional event in Indigenous communities that serves as a means of processing internal disputes or preparing for inter-ethnic wars. These are not mere enactments; they are potent clashes, almost a blend of sporting tournaments and rites appealing to the collective use of force.
Even in the face of resource scarcity, Indigenous creativity endures. Consider the three crowns, representing religious and political power. Historically adorned with the magnificent plumage of blue and red macaws—the non plus ultra of animal beauty—these birds are now critically endangered. Paradoxically, Indigenous peoples, as careful stewards of their habitat, have adapted, substituting the rare feathers with plastic straw, forging a new aesthetic. These are not crude replicas; they are entirely new designs, evoking a minimalist, powerfully geometric, and synthesized form. This remarkable adaptation is a testament to the resilience of tradition through creative reinvention, showcasing how Indigenous cultural practices constantly reconfigure and reassert their essence.
The Scars of the Earth: A "De-landscape" of Planetary Impact
One of the exhibition's most dramatic scenes portrays the "de-landscape" or "blinding" effect of mining, revealing the literal undermining of the earth. Enormous hills are formed from excavated rocks, creating a precarious situation where rains can cause landslides, even as new forests attempt to grow on their slopes. The sheer scale is staggering: one such hill, towering over 870 meters, dominates the Carajás and Pará regions – an area as vast as Spain and France combined. This segment forcefully demonstrates the immense ecological devastation, underscoring its undeniable planetary impact. It is a stark visualization of what we might call an "advanced program of global degradation," where the relentless pursuit of resources leaves behind a gaping, destructive wound on the planet, attempting to silence its inherent vitality.
Ongoing Realities: The "Family Album" and Adapting Daily Life
The exhibition culminates in rooms featuring three screens displaying different moments of Indigenous daily life. While this "everyday" includes rituals, hunting, and play, it is also conceived as a book being leafed through, much like the earlier "family album" of special moments. These images—at times featuring feathered body coverings used for ritual and therapeutic purposes, or deep scarifications considered both curative and beautiful—illustrate the intricate tapestry of their existence. Other scenes depict the profound body painting and ceremonial attire, or the distinct brete, a piercing worn by adult males of certain Amazonian groups. The masks and garments of dry straw or leaves worn by figures in some rituals are so striking they appear almost extraterrestrial. The women's entry into a ritual, utilizing baca maracas (rattles) to stir the air and create an acoustic climate conducive to communal unity, further illustrates the rich symbolism embedded in their daily lives. Critically, these screens also show the new ways Indigenous peoples engage with the world—watching television, connecting globally—demonstrating their capacity to absorb modern elements without relinquishing their profound collective memory. This section humanizes the struggle, revealing a vibrant, evolving existence capable of integrating the new while fiercely safeguarding its identity.
Epilogue: The Enduring World
Rodrigo Petrella’s "The Indigenous Month in Times of Post-Amazon" is, ultimately, an invitation to a deeper and different understanding. By deliberately stepping beyond conventional anthropological frameworks and by drawing upon the critical insights we've explored in Aura Latente, where the exhibition leverages a powerful expressive aesthetic to reveal both the profound vulnerabilities facing these communities and their extraordinary resilience. Through dynamic portrayals of territory, the poignant poetics of memory, the rich symbolism of natural elements and human adornment, and the stark realities of environmental devastation, Petrella’s photographs do more than simply document; they challenge, they provoke, and most importantly, they illuminate. They show that beneath the surface of external pressures, a vibrant, continuous existence asserts its unique being. This exhibition is a testament to the enduring human spirit and the vital importance of preserving threatened cultures. It urges us to imagine "other horizons"—to recognize the power of art to foster awareness and compassion, and to understand that the survival of these Indigenous worlds, with their potent, often latent, spiritual and cultural richness, is inextricably linked to the well-being of our shared planet. The art, here, serves as a poignant reminder that even in the face of profound loss, the capacity to create, to remember, and to envision new possibilities for social and tribal organization remains.
an essay from the interview of Ticio Escobar
EXHIBITIONS
2018 "La Selva Luminosa" Museo del Barro, Asuncion, Paraguay
2017 "Mekaron" Bienal de Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil
2016 "Ephemera: Diálogos Entre-Vistas" MAC, Niteroi, Brazil
2016 "Espelho Quebrado" Museu Janete Costa together with MAC Niteroi, Brazil
2015 "A Luz da Floresta e o Arco da Destruição" book published
2014 "Cara a Cara" Luces del Amazonas, Palacio de Mineria (U.N.A.M.), México D.F.
2013 “Os Olhos da Floresta" Sesc Itaquera, São Paulo, Brazil.
2012 “La Luz de la Selva Amazônica" Casa America, Madrid, Spain.
2012 “Lo Otro" Bienal da fotografia, Museo del Barro, Asuncion, Paraguay
2012 “The Light of the Amazon Forest" Russian Museum of Ethnography, St. Petersburg, Russia
2012 “Los Otros" Centro de artes Holguin, Cuba
2012 “La Luz de la Selva Amazônica" MuVIM, Valencia, Spain
2012 “Give me your Eyes" Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway
2011 “La Luce della Selva Amazzonica" Palazzo Medici – Riccardi, Firenze, Italy
2010 “Índios Kayapós" Paralelo Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2010 “Ultréia e Suséia" Museo Provincial de León, León, Spain
2009 “Guardians of the Forest" Imperial City Art Museum, Beijing, China
2009 “Ultréia e Suséia" Centro de Arte Contemporâneo Caja Burgos (CAB), Burgos, Spain
2008 “Itinerarium: Pelo caminho de Santiago em Castillla e Léon". Museu Afro Brasil, São Paulo, Brazil
2008 “Guardians of the Forest" Smithsonian National Museum Of The American Indian (NMAI), New York, USA
2007 “Encuentro Entre Dos Mares" Bienal de São Paulo, Valência, Spain
2007 “Céu" Museu Arthur Bispo do Rosário, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2006 “Viva Cultura Viva do Povo Brasileiro" Museu Afro-Brasileiro, São Paulo, Brazil