Other Credits: Interactive photograph frames developed with Christopher Malison, CalArts MFA alumnus in Technical Direction. Thanks to my mentors: Tom Leeser, Kai-Luen Liang, Ajay Kapur, and Michael Leisz.
Description: Inspired by the Páramo ecosystem, a high-altitude landscape found in the tropical Andes of South America, this installation creates a sense of peace and serenity while also drawing attention to human impact and ecological destruction. When you interact with the photograph frame, an immersive visual environment comes to life, projecting a distorted version of the original image. The sound design uses granular synthesis, processing original field recordings captured in the Páramo.
Critical questions by Lilita Dunska: What was your principal feeling while experiencing this installation? Despair? Fear? Sadness? Is there room for hope? Can we act to reverse these processes, or do we consciously accept a passive stance?
About the photographs: Images were originally captured in Colombia’s Páramo de Chingaza by Javier Arcila, an architect and urban designer. His time living in both Australia and Colombia has exposed him to diverse ecosystems. The Páramo, one of his favorites, inspired this visual foundation. Through photography, he documents the environments that continually fuel his creative practice.
2024
2022
