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Collaborative project w/ architect Freddy Mamani. Bolivia. 2019-2021.
For the making of this body of work both artists agreed to meet in Bolivia, particularly in the city of El Alto, in 2019.
The Spirit of the Houses consists of two lines of work. The first is a reinterpretation and appropriation of archival images depicting the French expedition to Tiwanaku in the first decade of the 20th century. (…) [Janowski] adjusts, retouches and prints them on cotton prints and, as a curatorial practice, takes them to El Alto to work with Mamani. This gesture evokes the repatriation of stolen heritage.
(…) The second line proposed by this body of work consists of a series of poetic interpretations of Andean ontology from Janowski’s gaze and aesthetics. Moving away from the positivist photography of the early twentieth century, he proposes a photography capable of generating multiple faces and deconstructed landscapes, temporalities that are crossed and confused, the past and the future interfere. (…) In addition, the work allows us to dream of the possibility of a symmetrical encounter between diverse people. Thus, the act of creating becomes a possibility to respect but, at the same time, celebrate cultural differences.
Abstracts from “Interferences in Ajayus”
by Juan Fabbri (Researcher and curator at the Bolivian National Art Museum)
To heal.
This concept has the meaning of healing, giving medicine or simply giving health or good life. Qullaña o qulla can have the meaning of healing in the spiritual as well. It can also be used for physical wounds.
Exhibition proposal at Galería Vigil Gonzáles
Valle Sagrado (Urabamba, Cusco, Perú)
September 2021
Soul.
Currently used to refer to the mind or soul. Its meaning transcends the physical and spiritual. It also means spirit,
energy, breath, life.
Being here (in space and time, or on this earth).
This term connotes the significance of coming to this world.
To recall, to evoke, to bring to memory.
This term means to remember in any context, whether historical, cultural, or anything that has been realized in life. All customs or past realities are remembered with this action. AMTAÑA, for example, culturally recalls who they were in life.
Voluntarily accept and receive what is being offered.
This phrase implies to SAY NOW, to SAY YES, or to accept some contract or proposal in life. It is to be ready or predisposed to do something.
Wholeheartedly.
This phrase is constantly used when deep commitments are made between two people, between the community, or with any entity that surrounds the Aymara world. It literally means with all my mind, soul and body.
It is the transmutation to BEING A PERSON. When one is born, grows up and is young, when one marries is JAQI, one becomes someone with all the rights and duties in a society together with one’s partner; meanwhile one is yuqalla (young male) or imilla (young female). Philosophically, dehumanization has reached all aspects today, thus we need to become JAQI (person) again.
Remembering with the Heart. One can remember with memory or with intelligence, but when one remembers with the heart it is much more profound and transcendental. One can remember from the genes’ records when using the term CHUYMA (this term has several meanings), for this reason it is a concept accompanied and limited with AMTHAPIÑA- to remember.
Solidarity.
Mode of right or obligation acquired solidarily. Literally this term comes from YANAPAÑA- to help, the suffix -t’a
and -si implies HELPING EACH OTHER. The suffix -si is a reciprocal suffix. So, this suffix denotes an action of
sharing and reciprocity.
