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.



©Monica Rivas Velasquez 2021