Medellin: Art, Conflict & Creativity :: 2011
Into the Deep(ish) End
Medellin, Summer 2011
(Link to images down at the far bottom-right, if you want to skip the blah blah. I don't much like these long rambling introductions, but in this case it's important - although whether I communicate clearly... : )
I was invited by Medellin's (and maybe Colombias!) leading gallery on art + social issues, to co-lead the 28th artistic 'Laboratory' addressing the issue of forced disappearance, in the context of decades of conflict in Colombia; a country about which most of the world still harbors brutal, wildly simplistic and deeply unfair stereotypes (unfortunately, how most of the world still thinks about most of the world), that incidentally allow ineffective or plain ruinous (yet highly profitable) policies / perspectives to perpetuate and blossom, like the monster juniper bush in the front yard that will take decades to undo.
We (my Peace Boat colleague Maria (who's from Medellin and connected me to this project) and I) worked with 18 participants, victims of forced disappearance - this means they'd lost one or more sons, daughters, husbands, wives, parents. Not the same as being killed (although this is by far the usual result), 'disappeared' creates the impossibility of closure, a torture of wondering if, what, where, how... Like radiation, a form of violence that keeps on giving.
These 18 people were amazing: enthusiastic, warm, laughing, strong, and are experiencing something maybe worse than death itself; yet powering on and not giving up.
Our challenge was to use art to express something meaningful on the topic, the experience, the reality. The predominant approach to this issue is strongly past-negative: communicating the violence experienced, establishing memory, asking for empathy from society, demanding justice, answers and non-repetition. Silhouettes and other metaphors are commonly used to represent the disappeared.
The question is then, not what is wrong with this approach? Because it is extremely important and good work; but to ask "what might be missing, in the bigger picture? What additional approaches are there?"
Our suggestion - in the following images - incorporated the following points:
- Rather than repeat past-negative perspective, try future-positive + constructive-cooperative.
- Colombian society, often diagnosed as having a weak/frayed social fabric, may not have much empathy to give in the first place.
- Deep empathy grows out of a healthy relationship.
- It is easier to build a relationship on a positive note (“let's build something good together”) than negative (“look at the violence we've suffered and help us fix it”).
- A better future Colombia needs a detailed and broadly appealing image and inclusive, cooperative, constructive process.
- Artistic creativity is distinct from, and highly complementary to, conflict-work creativity.
- “Remember, so that we never repeat!” - a super important idea; yet in itself, not enough to prevent recurrence (various campaigns around the world please take note). In addition, the conflict which gave rise to the undesireable behavior (from forced disappearance to nuclear weapons) needs to be solved, and alternative means of 'behaving' suggested.
It was quite successful, yet felt like a chaotic test-run; it was much work to do in two quick weeks with 18 people who each deserve to have a book written about them. Much can be improved (especially in the process), but I think much was also achieved, and the unusual perspective / approach to the issue was received very well.
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