Colonial agencies have framed the view of the land in Chile, not only by promoting a perspective of an empty place, but also in the way natural resources have been named and classified. This research undertakes a decolonial visual inquiry into photographic landscape in Chile, focusing on gardens as sites to engage with decolonial approaches, undertaken at two distinct locations: Puerto Varas and Iquique. Through photographic practice, this project develops alternative ways of representing Chilean landscapes that involve people within the places they inhabit, extending Flusser's concept of the technological apparatus and reworking form, content and circulation through an engagement with decolonial practices and theories.
Las agencias coloniales han enmarcado la visión de la tierra en Chile, no solo promoviendo una perspectiva de lugar vacío, sino también en la forma en que todos los recursos naturales han sido nombrados y clasificados. Esta investigación emprende una indagación visual decolonial sobre el paisaje fotográfico en Chile, enfocándose específicamente en jardines como sitios para abordar enfoques decoloniales, realizada en dos localidades distintas: Puerto Varas e Iquique. A través de la práctica fotográfica, este proyecto desarrolla formas alternativas de representar los paisajes chilenos que involucran a las personas dentro de los lugares que habitan, extendiendo el concepto de Flusser del aparato tecnológico al investigar la fotografía como un proceso de creación continua. Esta indagación aborda tres problemas principales: la representación del paisaje y su imposición colonial; el aparato fotográfico y su relación con las descripciones texturales y los metadatos; y la experimentación decolonial como un proceso de compromiso práctico.
Maria / Rosario Montero
Maria / Rosario Montero is a photo-based artist with a BA (PUC Chile), MFA (University of Chile), Master in Digital Anthropology (UCL) and recently PhD in Cultural Studies (Goldsmiths College). Shee had his first solo exhibition at the CCE Gallery (Chile) in 2004. She has participated in several group exhibitions in Chile, China, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, Peru, USA and Venezuela, among others. In 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018 she won a government art fund for the development of his artistic practice (FONDART). Her work is part of the selection of contemporary Chilean photographers for 02 / CNCA (2010) and C Photo edition, “New Latin Look” curated by Martin Parr (2012). Today she participates and is one of the founders of Border Agency art collective.