On-Site Residencies
We find ourselves at a point of simultaneous opening and closing, where the act of opening our doors marks an intermediate moment in the ongoing narrative. We do not seek to reach a definitive conclusion, but rather to create a space for encounter and dialogue. The projects presented in this Open Door are processes in constant evolution, temporarily interrupted to be shared and exhibited. Just as the water hyacinths rest on the surface of the Carapachay River, these projects momentarily pause in their development as we share them with you. The title, whispered by the branches of a willow as the river splashed against the shore, leads us to reflect on the beauty housed in developing processes, in constant exploration, and in the appreciation of what is in the process of being created or discovered.
During the month-long duration of this experience, Juan delGado (London), Jimena Gallardo (San Juan), Vivian Roi (Taipei), and Karina Villavicencio (Berlin) dedicated their time and attention to unfolding separate investigations while allowing themselves to be permeated by the living environment and encounters with its island inhabitants. The four artists continued with procedures and intuitions they had already been developing in their cities, but when relocated to the context of our home in the Delta of the Río de la Plata, they acquired new directions. We could think of them as "states of the question" within a field of knowledge: a cut within a process that began before and will continue after the convened date. This is their condition of possibility and their tendency towards the verb, rather than the object: to observe and listen, to meditate and point out, to enter into relationship, to arrange and execute, to collect and let be, to decide and edit. While Karina immersed herself in the exploration of human gestures and their meaning, Vivian challenged the traditional notion of documentary practice, merging the virtual and the concrete. Juan, on the other hand, managed to create human connections through his art, exploring personal deconstruction and connection with the natural environment. Finally, Jimena delved into the labyrinthine paths of memory and forgetting, using collage and superimposed images to explore the intersection of individual memory with collective experience.
Although they vary in approaches and techniques, they all share a commitment to exploring human connections, the influence of the environment on their lives and creative processes, and a determined determination to highlight the singular and subtle beauty found in our environment, especially in this exceptional territory of the Delta.
Karina has a unique sensitivity to detect what historians of human life have been overlooking, facts that, seeming minor, do not enter the history books; I refer to gestures, to those excesses of corporeality that speak so well of us because they precisely indicate leaks of control. Philosopher Jean Luc Nancy suggests that human gestures carry an excess of meaning, expressing the singularity of each individual. That is why Karina focuses on them, seeking what cannot be completely controlled by social expectations. Her method of collecting gestures is based on personal encounters, prioritizing intimacy and authenticity. In her interviews, she not only investigates everyday actions, but also how people perceive themselves in relation to privilege and resilience, convinced that these are inherently linked.
In this edition of Fluss Lab's Open Door, Karina presents, from the interviews conducted in this particular context, a sort of open archive, in juxtaposition of data and without hierarchies; material that in turn will serve to summon the public to the scene and enact this paused investigation, for its exhibition, at a certain moment of the possible final deployment. Karina is unaware of the arrival point of this inquiry but does know about the orientations that are beginning to take shape. We could say, without risk of being wrong, that what Karina produces with her works and performances is a herstory (in opposition to official History), a feminist look at history.
Juan pursues through his art the creation of human bonds, aspiring to be a means to this end. A palpable example is his relationship with Martín, an islander rooted in the delta, a tireless socio-environmental activist who continues to promote the participation of the island community in the protection of the environment. His commitment is evident in his collaboration with Juan in the creation of a mobile sculpture with natural elements found on his trips around the island. Martín is an example of how socio-environmental activism can be a creative and collaborative process. His work not only raises awareness about the importance of environmental conservation, but also strengthens the bonds between people and nature. Despite the harshness of his struggle, Martin retains an admirable sensitivity, capable of being moved by the beauty of the natural world. He combines an unwavering strength with a deep vulnerability, a coherence that is hard to find these days.
At the Open Door event, Juan will exhibit the mobile sculpture created in collaboration with Martín. This piece, full of symbolism and movement, is a beautiful excuse to unfold a series of stories that tell us about the importance of caring for our planet. It is an invitation to reflect on the need to build a more sustainable future, where harmony between humans and nature is a reality. Through their art and activism, Juan and Martín inspire us to be part of the solution. They show us that it is possible to create a better world if we work together.
Cecilia Andino embraces the Delta’s perpetual change, fragmenting and reassembling her creations in a performance that transforms each gesture into an autonomous narrative. Her textile cartography, fused with the fluctuation of the island landscape, celebrates the vitality of change and the precariousness of materials. With garments intervened with velcro and plant elements, Cecilia creates an ephemeral mapping of the territory, inviting us to take part in a collective narration where instability and transformation intertwine in movement with the Carapachay River.
