Respiro un bosque/I breathe a forest

Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest
Tatiana Arocha
On view October 23, 2019 - September 20, 2020

Through detailed graphic compositions layered with digital and analog techniques, Tatiana Arocha’s Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest immerses viewers in the dense wilderness of South America’s tropical forests. Juxtaposing real specimens, images of rapid devastation, and monumental natural elements, this exhibition powerfully unmasks an anguished cry from the earth and a yearning for nature and its preservation. Through the lens of the bio-political, as well as that of the immigrant longing for her homeland, Arocha reclaims the lands of her native Colombia, using her art to deconstruct and reconstruct endangered natural landscapes that have long since been deforested or decimated.

While Arocha’s thoughtful taxonomy alludes to the country’s colonial past, the application of gold paint onto the landscape cleverly references today’s corporate greed and its damage to the environment. Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest is a poignant reminder of the fragility of the ecosystem and the realization that the real treasure of our earth is not in the gold extracted from it or gained by destroying it, but in the forests, the air they produce, and the lives we can only live because of their existence.

Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest will transform over several months as the artist continues to adorn the fabric murals with gold. Join us for these live painting sessions and for weekly performances, educational programs, and art-making workshops centered on the themes of nature, the environment, and the places we call home.

Click here to listen to the sounds of the rainforest of Colombia and the artist’s father’s “dialogue with plants”.