Absurd Sculptures

Toxic Relationships of Dependency 

Oro Negro

A reaction to the current crisis in Venezuela, focused on the country’s historical dependency on oil. ‘Black Gold’ has been been the country’s main source of wealth and dispute, and having the largest natural reserves in the world underground never meant social welfare. It is rather its curse.

I grew up in Venezuela with oil-related privileges. I was not part of the wealthy upper class, but still lived a very comfortable life. Oil savings from my working class parents was the support for me to leave the country, and to keep me away from it. In 2002, I joined the first wave of the Venezuelan diaspora abroad. I haven't been in the country long enough to live the struggles and witness the process, yet I wanted to respond to the crisis from this distance.

  •  PART I. Absurd Sculptures. Using objects as metaphors to represent its value and meaning. The result is 3 photographs of absurd sculptures: Rubbish bags with a cheap glitter finish, sponges filled with the black viscous liquid tied with a golden nylon, and crumbled newspapers with shining plastic sticky diamonds.
     

  •  Part II. Toxic Relationships of Dependency. DRE, also a Venezuelan in London, and daughter of Oil working parents, represented what it feels like to be in a toxic relationship of dependency. Just like Venezuela has been since it became subject of extractivism for its fossil fuel.. Physical theatre performer: DRE Spisto / Art Assistant: Kit Griffiths