This project was part of the 100 Projects for Peace, Davis Foundation
Overview
Problem
Role
Loss of art practices that drove economic development in rural communities of Peru as a result of internal conflict.
Creator and project director of an art residency for youth who grew the the region most impacted by Shinning Path conflict.
BackGROUND
Between WAR and ART. The Shinning Path Conflict
The massive displacement of people from their home provinces to the capital of Lima due to war during 80's and 90's, remains scarcely spoken about. In addition to the devastating massacres of Quechua-speaking communities, this process also represents a profound rupture of families, communities, and art practices. The displacement, disappearance, and death of highly respected artists marked a clear loss of economic productivity, cultural production and development in their communities.
Entre la Guerra y el Arte. Sendero Luminoso- conflicto interno
Uno de los aspectos menos trabajados dentro de las décadas 80's y 90's , es el impacto cultural que significo la migración interna obligada del campo a la ciudad de Lima. Proceso que significo, además de las mayoritarias muertes de población quechua-hablante, la desarticulación de las propias familias sobrevivientes y las profundas rupturas generacionales. Otro síntoma fue el despoblamiento del campo y la extrema violencia sufrida por aquellos que se quedaron. Tambien es importante notar lo que significo para muchas comunidades que sus artistas tradicionales y reconocidos maestros que desarrollaban el trabajo de simbolizar para mantener activa y productivas las relaciones comunales sufrieran la desaparición, muerte o que muchos fueran obligados a migrar a la capital huyendo del conflicto armado interno.
the project
Ruraspanchis Yachanchis (We learn by Making)
is a socially active initiative created and implemented by Cusco born artist Sami Ortiz-Huayhua. The objective of this art residency was to provide facilities and resources for Quechua-speaking youth who grew up after civil war in rural Ayacucho to be immersed in the arts of Retablo and Ceramics. These youth grew up with limited possibilities to learn the long tradition of art practices, as these were interrupted by the Shinning Path conflict through the late 20th century.
Ruraspanchis Yachanchis (Haciendo Aprendemos)
es un proyecto social artístico impulsado por artista cuzqueña Sami Ortiz Huayhua, quien se planteo proveer las facilidades y los recursos necesarios y activar un espacio donde reconectar el arte tradicional del retablo y el sofisticado arte en barro con la creatividad de jóvenes Quechua-hablantes quienes nacidos luego de los años de la violencia crecieron con menores oportunidades de conocer y formarse en estos conocimientos, técnicas y procesos debido a la ausencia de maestros.
Ruraspanchis Yachanchis gathered Quechua speaking youth from multiple rural communities in Ayacucho together with recognized retablo and ceramics artists Teodoro Ramirez and Eleazar Gavilan in a collective engagement for learning in Quinua, Ayacucho. This community is well known for its long and fecund ceramics tradition. Both of these currently Lima-based artists had expressed their desire to someday return to their home province to share their experiences and art practice as a way of empowering a new generation of Quechua youth. These artists have utilized their art practices in Lima, the capital, for the development and economic fruition of their own newly formed communities.
In addition, the program invited international artists Xavier Toubes and Patricia Rieger to participate in this cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural exchange of knowledge.
Ruraspanchis Yachanchis convoco a jóvenes quechua-hablantes de diversas comunidades rurales de Ayacucho a una pasantia en Quinua, zona que destaca por su proteica labor alfarera y del arte en barro, para realizar un taller vivencial con la participacion de dos artistas ayacuchanos: Teodoro Ramírez, reconocido retablista y Eleazar Gavilán, importante artista del barro. Ambos viven actualmente en Lima-Peru y habían expresado su deseo de regresar a Ayacucho para compartir sus experiencias y conocimientos con jóvenes que deseen formase como artistas de sus pueblos y con ello, también, empoderarlos tal como había sido el proceso seguidos por ellos mismos en su inserción en la capital, quienes con el desarrollo de sus artes tradicionales han generado procesos productivos con sus paisanos y a través de sus asociaciones de artistas tradicionales. Tambien se invito a los artistas internacionales Xavier Toubes y Patricia Rieger a participar en este intercambio de conocimiento.
Retablo Artist
Ceramic Artist
Retablo Artist
We began working from the visual structure of the Retablo, a devotional object, which was first introduced to South America during the European invasion as means to converting people into Christianity. Later, this form was appropriated by self-taught artists from rural Ayacucho, Peru, as instruments for narrating their history, experiences, and consciousness. These Retablos are three-dimensional objects composed by miniature sculptures in vibrant color, which sit inside a box-like container.
Ceramic art has a complex history with roots in the pre-columbian Wari and Pokras nations. The influence of these cultures upon this art form has survived and evolved into one of the most important art practices in Peru.
Trabajamos desde el soporte del retablo, objeto devocional y pedagógico introducido por la religión del invasor y que luego fuera reapropiada por los artistas populares de las comunidades ayacuchanas para con ellas contar sus historias desde la perspectiva de sus comunidades y naciones. Los retablos son cajas en diferentes dimensiones donde esculturas en miniatura representan las actividades sociales y cotidianas de la vida rural. En los mismos términos, el arte en barro tiene una complejidad y profundidad en el acervo cultural de la región debido al esplendor adquirido durante la nación Wari y Pokras, las que han sobrevivido y han sido transformadas en una de las artes mas importantes del Perú.
By participating in the Ruraspanchis Yachanchis project the young Quechua-speaking participants were able to develop a visual language as well as exchange ideas, techniques and knowledge in their mother tongue. The program emphasized experimentation with materials and techniques developed by the participants’ ancestors, as well as promoting a dialog between "traditional" and "modern" artists and art practices, contributing to the larger conversation between global North and South.
The body of work produced in Ruraspanchis Yachanchis was exhibited at the Congress of the Republic, Lima, Peru.
Los jóvenes quechua hablantes, partiendo de sus propias herramientas culturales se expresaron e intercambiaron pensamientos, ideas, técnicas, conocimientos, en y desde su idioma materno. Los talleres prestaron énfasis a la experimentación, la manipulación de los materiales, así como al fortalecimiento de las técnicas desarrollas por sus ancestros. Tambien se puso énfasis a la investigación y al encuentro entre lo tradicional en dialogo con lo occidental, tal como se ha venido dando en este largo y fecundo proceso de apropiaciones, sumas, permanencias y continuidades expandiendo las posibilidades visuales del arte en barro, la cerámica, la pintura y la escultura.
EL trabajo realizado en este programa fue exhibido en el Congreso de la Republica del Peru.
How we did it
Sami: Creator and director of program
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Conducted research on site prior to creating concept
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Connected with artists from Lima
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Connected with leaders in rural communities in Post-conflict provinces and
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Conducted interviews in each community and recruited participants
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Procured the resources for program. Grant recipient.
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Managed people and resources
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Promoted the program in different media outlets like radio and national television
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Curated final exhibition
Teodoro Ramirez: Retablo Artist and teacher
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Assisted with interviews looking for talent across different provinces
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Taught the Retablo intensive workshop
Eleazar Gavilan: Ceramic Artist and teacher
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Taught the Ceramincs intensive workshop
Participants
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Students from different provinces of post-war zones in Ayacucho
Xavier Toubes, Patricia Rieger
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Guest artists gave lectures of their work and shared with participants in program
SOME OF THE WORKS MADE IN THE PROGRAM
