lunes, 21 de julio de 2008

Red Cloud

Recientemente realicé este dibujo a partir de una foto que encontré casualmente en internet. Es una foto que pertenece a la Brady-Handy Photograph Collection de la Biblioteca del Congreso de USA, muestra a la delegación de los indios Ogala-Lakota en la Casa Blanca en 1877. Brady y Handy son dos fotógrafos que tuvieron estudios en la segunda mitad del siglo xix en Washington. Es un negativo de vidrio.
Red Cloud fue un jefe Lakota que protagonizó la guerra que lleva su nombre en 1866 en donde el Ejercito de Estados Unidos sufrió la primera derrota de su historia.
Esta foto muestra a los lakota en la casa Blanca, supongo al final de la Gran Guerra Sioux de 1976-1877 de la cual Red Cloud no participó en forma directa pero sí su hijo quien figura en el centro de la imágen.



Este es un discurso de despedida para su gente, el 4 de julio de 1903 (murió en 1909)

"My sun is set. My day is done. Darkness is stealing over me. Before I lie down to rise no more, I will speak to my people.

"Hear me, my friends, for it is not the time for me to tell you a lie. The Great Spirit made us, the Indians, and gave us this land we live in. He gave us the buffalo, the antelope, and the deer for food and clothing. We moved our hunting grounds from the Minnesota to the Platte and from the Mississippi to the great mountains. No one put bounds on us. We were free as the winds, and like the eagle, heard no man's commands.


"I was born a Lakota and I shall die a Lakota. Before the white man came to our country, the Lakotas were a free people. They made their own laws and governed themselves as it seemed good to them. The priests and ministers tell us that we lived wickedly when we lived before the white man came among us. Whose fault was this? We lived right as we were taught it was right. Shall we be punished for this? I am not sure that what these people tell me is true.

As a child I was taught the Taku Wakan (Supernatural Powers) were powerful and could do strange things. This was taught me by the wise men and the shamans. They taught me that I could gain their favor by being kind to my people and brave before my enemies; by telling the truth and living straight; by fighting for my people and their hunting grounds.


"When the Lakotas believed these things they were happy and they died satisfied. What more than this can that which the white man offers us give?


"Taku Shanskan is familiar with my spirit and when I die I will go with him. Then I will be with my forefathers. If this is not in the heaven of the white man I shall be satisfied. Wi is my father. The Wakan Tanka of the white man has overcome him. But I shall remain true to him.


"Shadows are long and dark before me. I shall soon lie down to rise no more. While my spirit is with my body the smoke of my breath shall be towards the Sun for he knows all things and knows that I am still true to him."

domingo, 13 de julio de 2008

árbol de cuadros

En 2007 una fundación norteamericana llamada CIFO, Miami, me invitaron a presentar un proyecto inédito. Si resultaba seleccionado, me darían 10 000 dll. para realizarlo e instalarlo en su lugar de exposición.

Mi proyecto era ir hasta este lugar en Punta Indio, ruta 11, provincia de Buenos Aires, colgar algunos cuadros y tomar fotos.




Posteriormente iba a construir una escultura, un artefacto para colgar cuadros en una sala de arte.



Por cierto que no me dieron el dinero pero decidí continuar con el projecto, de otra manera este tipo de fundaciones tendrían un poder demasiado grande sobre mí, decidiendo si haré algo o no.

Así que lentamente estoy trabajando en ello, con los límites de mi propia economía.

Despues de reparar el coche durante los primeros meses del año, pude hacer un viaje y realizar un primer ensayo de la foto del árbol de cuadros.





Pronto tendré mis rollos revelados. Continuará....

Con amor
Magdalena

árbol de cuadros