More than an Object, its Shadow


(2018 - ongoing)

Manifesting iteratively in publications, performative readings, lectures and radio interventions, More than an Object, its Shadow is the umbrella project where I research frailejones and the páramo.

Páramos are high altitude forests of the tropical Andes, of which Colombia has the largest number. They are complex ecosystems, key due to their immense biodiversity. It is almost impossible to define them in a short paragraph, but surely necessary to recall when thinking of affective exchanges with more-than-humans.

Frailejón series_collage 2020

Frailejón series_collage 2020

Páramos host more than 4,000 vegetable species, one of which is Frailejón, also known as Espeletia.
Similar to other Páramo
plants,Frailejones have the ability to absorb water from fogs and rains through an adaptation of their leaves,
in order to funnel it into streams and contribute water storage back into the soil. Colombian Páramos supply over 70% of the water for the population. 

Páramos are mysterious, sacred and longed for. They are also exploited and are currently under multiple severe threats including large-scale mining and climate change. A thorough regulation (Ley 1930) has been recently put in place to redefine their boundaries and restrict harmful activities.

This law, which seeks to support their sustainability, is not free of challenges. At present, a significant effort is being made in working with páramos inhabitants, unpacking their own understanding of the law itself and their approach to its eventual implementation.