South American Paradox in the Bunkier Sztuki Gallery of Contemoprary Art
On 22 September 2011 at 6.00 p.m. the Bunkier Sztuki Gallery video room will host María Rosa Jijón, Equadorian artist, or rather "visiual activist", as she refers to herself, who will present her work entitled "Paradoja Manta Manaos".
The artist's work has been presented in the Latin American Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale. It is a video dealing with the paradox by the clash produced in Amazonia between industrial progress in the region and the resultant devastation visited on its natural resources. The artist focuses on the very real danger posed for the primaeval Amazonian jungle by the project of building a canal between the Ecuadorian town of Manta and the Brasilian Manaus.
The building of the canal – which aims to provide an alternative for the Panama Canal – means destruction of significant area of the jungle as well as alteration of the course of the river Napo. This will result in adversely affecting the ecosystem of the region as well as – a point that the artist makes with a great emphasis – the necessity to evict local Indian communities. Although on the one hand the canal will no doubt speed up the civilisational and economic development in the region, on the other it threatens the culture, traditions and lifestyle of the Indians who live in symbiosis with their natural environment.
Jijón is deeply concerned with mass relocations of the population and migration, together with the alienation they cause. The Ecuadorian artist has a strong affinity with Italy and she works for a number of organisations which defend human rights and migrants’ rights. Maria Rosa Jijón is also involved in numerous film projects about the migrant communities in Ecuador and Italy.
Her works have been shown all over the world, eg at the 10th Cuenca Biennale (October 2010), the 10th Biennale in Havana (March 2009), Freewaves Festival in Los Angeles (2008), the Prague Biennale (2005) and during many other international cultural events.
Jijón’s videos have enthusiastic reception. Recently, her G2 has received the Italian Moustafá Souhir Award.
After the video, there will be an opportunity for the audience to question the artist about her project. You are welcome to participate!
