© Diego Lama, Casa Goyeneche, 2007
Hybrid Identities in Urban Landscapes
Curated by Katerina
Valdivia Bruch
Hybrid identities in Urban Landscapes
reflects on how urban, economic and social structures influence the
work of contemporary artists. This curatorial project focuses on the
hybrid identity of Peruvian culture. Peruvians mixed origins adds
complexity to its social system. It also enriches it through an hybrid
identity in which indigenous, European, African, Asian and US American
culture establish a network of blurring identities, were none of them
is hundred per cent dominant; probably that is the characteristic of
Peruvian culture: a mixed identity, in which all these diverse cultural
discourses are involved in a network of cultural associations.
Migration
from the provinces to the capital city is part of recent Peruvian
history, which has been increasing since the fifties and early sixties.
This migration is involved in racial, ethnic, and class backgrounds.
Lima, the capital city with almost eight million inhabitants, a speed
growing megalopolis, has been the centre of the country due to its
facilities in communication and access to working class economy. Other
regions and cities have been rather neglected, so that most part of the
country believes to find in Lima the place to grow not only in
economical, but also in social terms. Racism and classicism, almost
taboo themes in Peruvian culture, are expressed in education,
entertainment and leisure industry, but also in mass media. For the
migrants, geographical mobility means social mobility. Unfortunately,
mobility, however, does not mean social acceptance. For instance, in
Diego Lama´s work, ethnical minorities enter luxurious spaces, but in
real life they are unable to access to that luxury. Education is a
privilege of the upper and middle classes, and people from European
descent are still the ones who have the power and dominate the country.
Migrants to the capital city have developed an informal sub-economy
which helps people to survive. Nowadays, it has become part of Peruvian
urban culture and is accepted as a parallel economy.
An example
of how to illustrate part of this above mentioned hybrid identity is
the work of Haroldo Higa. The artist depicts tradition as a means to
re-size dimension of identity. Mestizo
culture, religious and superstitious beliefs are the core of these
sculptures. By presenting both Spanish and Andean traditions, he
reflects on that beliefs can be interpreted in two ways: as a matter of
faith or a matter of superstition, depending on the viewer and his or
her own thoughts. In this case, simple souvenirs become a sort of super
heroes to believe in.
Lima´s actual urban landscape has
developed a new social structure in which notions of social affiliation
and community play an important role for its inhabitants, in order to
establish alliances in their working environment, leisure time, as well
as for family-like relations. This issue appears in Pablo Patrucco´s
drawings, in which a group of construction workers and a political
party are portrayed.
In the work of these artists, the
hybridisation of different cultural elements coming from religion,
social, economical and political grounds show critically, but also with
a slightly sense of humour and intimacy a recreation of urban
landscapes in Peru. The artists selected for this curatorial project
are very much linked to a global international contemporary art
exposure and have already presented their work in a number of
international exhibitions.
International Triennale of Contemporary Art
Re-Reading the Future
[PDF Catalogue text]
Exhibition: June 3rd - September 14th, 2008
National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic
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