Speculative Appropriation

2023
Collaboration with Dresden State Art Collections
2 – Channel video installation

1 – 28 min

2 – 1min

Augustus the Strong was obsessed with the art of porcelain production from Asia. When he found the secret of porcelain, he practically started a competition with the Emperor of China to prove that he could surpass them. In this competition now enters an AI, which speculatively appropriates both the collection of porcelain from East Asia and Meissen.
In collboration with Dresden State Art Collection, an access was gained to the databases containing the East Asian and Meissner porcelain collections.

Using these databases, an artificial intelligence model was trained to generate a speculative collection of new porcelain in order to raise multiple questions to the viewer.

Do the AI-generated objects represent an extension of existing databases or are they entirely new creations?
Are there repetitions of figures within the new creations?
Can artistic and cultural appropriation be considered to arise through the intervention of artificial intelligence?
Does artificial intelligence position itself as the creative entity itself or rather as a tool for interpreting and translating data?

The investigation into the coal extraction chain in Colombia reveals a complex ecosystem where the interests of Global North countries, like Germany, depend on the exploitation of Global South territories. El Cerrejón, the largest open-pit coal mine in Latin America, stands in La Guajira as a symbol of this extractivism. “They even stole the name,” say the local inhabitants, as El Cerrejón was once a sacred hill, a seven-faced hill that looked different from every angle, and now lies at its feet the largest open-pit mine in Latin America. For many, what is seen as progress in other parts of the world is a devastating reality in this territory: “The paradise of some is the hell of others.”

The interdependence between Germany and Colombia in the coal trade is more evident than ever. In recent years, Germany has sought to compensate for the lack of Russian gas due to the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia by turning to Colombian coal. Paradoxically, while Germany imports this resource from the Global South, it has announced plans to completely eliminate coal mining in its own territory by 2030, in an effort to move towards a cleaner energy transition.

The context driving this investigation dates back to 2022, when organizations like Unidas por la Paz and other international collectives sent a letter to the German government asking them not to reactivate the importation of Colombian coal. This request highlighted the contradiction between Germany’s environmental commitments and its reliance on energy resources extracted under conditions of social and environmental injustice in countries like Colombia.

The research focuses on La Guajira, in northern Colombia, particularly on the community of Barrancas, where the mine has deeply affected the lives of the Wayuu communities, both in their economy and social fabric. Inequality in access to resources is evident. Water, a scarce resource in this semi-desert region, is one of the major points of conflict. The Ranchería River, vital to the region, was dammed in the Caracolí community with the promise of alleviating the drought that affects La Guajira. However, much of this resource has been diverted for the industrial interests of El Cerrejón, exacerbating the inequality in its distribution.

The mine’s magnitude is such that it can be compared to the size of a city like Hamburg, and its extension covers the area from Barrancas to Albania. From the depths of the mine in Barrancas, the mineral is transported by one of the few active railways in the country, headed to Puerto Bolívar in Upper Guajira. This port, once a regional trading hub, is now exclusively used for exporting coal to Europe. Along this route, many communities have been displaced or their lands purchased by the multinational to allow the expansion of mining, generating internal conflicts and divisions.

A key component of the research is the impact on the Arroyo Bruno, a vital tributary that was partially channeled to allow the mine’s expansion. The Arroyo Bruno has been recognized as a subject of rights for a few years, temporarily halting mining progress in this area. However, the future of the stream remains uncertain, constantly under threat from industry interests. The channeling has affected its natural flow, and although there are legal resistances, the stream symbolizes the unequal battle between environmental conservation and extractive forces.

Through this research, it becomes evident that coal, as it is transported from the depths of the earth to international markets, carries with it the stories of destruction and resistance from a territory that faces, day by day, the consequences of a model that benefits a few at the expense of many.