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Carolina Aranibar-Fernández: Oleaje

Feb 10 - Aug 4, 2024

Oleaje [Groundswell] features new large-scale installation works by Bolivian-born artist Carolina Aranibar-Fernández that map and memorialize the rippling effects of a coercive global trade industry.

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About

Presenting new large-scale installation works by San Francisco-based, Bolivian-born artist Carolina Aranibar-Fernández, Oleaje [Groundswell] accentuates the hidden ripples of a global mining and trade industry that is reliant on forced access to natural resources and the human labor supplied by marginalized communities. Through extensive archival research and the use of labor-intensive handmaking processes—like etching, sewing, cutting, and printing—Aranibar-Fernández translates the complex movements of resources on a global scale into vibrant, finely rendered impressions of cartography and topography. Through each work, the artist meticulously traces and memorializes the impacts of capital flows and the environmental scarification found at the intersections of extraction and exploitation, exchange and power.   

Raised between the Andean mountains and the Amazon jungle, Aranibar-Fernández’s artistic practice draws on her first-hand experience witnessing the devastation of her homeland’s natural environment by foreign corporations. A deliberate tension is created in her work through her blend of the frangible—sequins, beads, plants, and embroidery—with the material history of human consumption as a means of unveiling how extractive economies accelerate issues of global trade, such as forced migration and displacement, environmental exploitation, and oppressive labor systems. Oleaje centers material as an active component in narrative building, highlighting its continuous effect on ever-shifting geopolitical tensions and its intersectional role toward a remedial future.  

This exhibition is part of the series PROJECT SPACE—an initiative that supports emerging and established artists in expanding their practice. Organized by Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and curated by Keshia Turley, assistant curator. Generous support provided by Title Partner Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation.  

Artist Bio

Photo by David Michael Cortes.

Carolina Aranibar-Fernández is a Bolivian-born interdisciplinary artist, educator, and arts administrator. Integrating art with social change for the past 10 years, Aranibar-Fernández has worked with artists, curated and co-developed public projects, and documented the stories of communities and organizations. Aranibar-Fernández is a recipient of the Race, Arts and Democracy Fellowship at Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at Arizona State University, the Projecting All Voices Fellowship at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University and the Arts Fellowship at the Virginia Commonwealth University campus in Qatar, Doha. 

Aranibar-Fernández’s art and praxis address concerns of displacement, privatization of land, environmental issues, and the invisible-exploited labor that supplies global trade. Her professional career as an artist includes numerous national and international exhibitions, including works featured at the National Museum of Art in Bolivia, the U.S./Mexico border fence, and the Kathmandu Triennale in Nepal and in New York, Los Angeles, Arizona, and Qatar.. Aranibar-Fernandez received a master of fine arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor of fine arts from the Kansas City Art Institute. 

Artworks

Artworks

Flores crecientes I & II, 2023

Digital print on cotton and thread Courtesy of the artist.

Flores Crecientes depicts common wildflowers hand-embroidered over photographs the artist has taken of shipping containers from Hapag Lloyd and CMA CGM, two of the largest container shippers in the world whose routes feature heavily in Aranibar-Fernández’s trade-focused maps. In Flores Crecientes I, the Commelina Communis flower is shown swallowing a shipping vessel. Found growing over copper mining spoil heaps and in copper-contaminated soil, C. Communis is one of the foremost plants researched as a pioneer species for the reclamation of copper-mined land. In contrast, the Tiehm Buckwheat from Flores Crecientes II grows only in uniquely adapted boron and lithium-rich soils and is currently at risk of extinction from the devastation of its natural environment due to resource extraction. A unique wildflower species, T. Buckwheat, is considered a lynchpin of its ecosystem, sustaining a diverse pollinator community. The works shown together make visible the stark duality between the resilience in nature’s reparative potential and its looming exhaustibility.

Cicatriz cuatro – quince, 2023

Linocut with copper powder Courtesy of the artist

These twelve prints from the Cicatriz depict 12 of the largest open-pit copper mines worldwide. Though visually beautiful, the title means ‘scar’ in Spanish, referencing the irreversible damage left behind by industrialized mining. An inherently invasive process, the legacy of mining goes far beyond its topographic impressions on the earth, the scarring extending to communities and land in a circumferential ripple effect that spans environmental poisoning, habitat and biodiversity loss, generational illness, and displacement. In many cases, the reverberating effects of each mine can continue for years or generations after the mine has ceased operation. For the artist, each Cicatriz serves as a reminder that not everything is divestible; scars may fade, but their wounds remain.

Rastros, 2023

Cotton fabric and blood Courtesy of the artist

Adopting a centuries-old hand-dying process, Aranibar-Fernández dyes white thread in her blood before stitching mapped trade routes and painstakingly removing each stitch, leaving behind only the residual stains. In Rastros, the webbed pin-pricks of blood form the most used trade routes globally over bodies of water. Waterborne transport is the primary means of transport for global trade, with around 90% of goods carried over water. Unlike on land, the effects of such a high traffic concentration are difficult to measure and track. Aranibar-Fernández’s use of blood in this artwork is deliberate due to its natural composition and the chemistry behind its decay. Exposed to oxygen, the marks on the fabric will slowly fade with time, leaving behind only the appearance of unmarred fabric. For the artist, this work speaks to the invisibility behind much of maritime trade, from the continuous routes shipping vessels take that have had disastrous consequences on marine ecosystems to the provenance of commodities once they land in a new port and are unloaded.

Testimonio de flores, 2022-2024

Tulle, embroidered flowers, sequins, glass beads, and copper Courtesy of the artist

This work shows the serpentine routes used to transport raw materials – such as minerals, oil, lumber, and natural gas – represented by black beaded lines suspended over an extracted map of South and Central America, Africa, and parts of Asia surrounded by oceans of hand-stitched embroidered flowers. Metaphorical in tone, the work gives visual reference to the consumptive nature of global trade in these regions through its continuous siphoning of natural resources.

Sembrando, 2024 (Detail)

Soil, coconut husk, tobacco, fava beans, chamomile, San Pedro cactus, peppermint, goldenrod, jade snap beans, alfalfa, stones, cotton, charcoal Courtesy of the artist

This living cartography is based on the AuthaGraph map, an equal-area world map that preserves a more accurate size representation of continents and oceans. Designed to flourish and grow over the course of the exhibition, the map re-imagines land bodies across the globe as borderless and ever-changing. Planted over an intentional blend of what the artist refers to as ‘history tellers’ - such as charcoal, cotton, and terra preta soil - the plants represented in Sembrando are nourishers known for their medicinal and ceremonial use in various regions. Aranibar-Fernández carefully selected each plant both through their ability to grow synergistically together as well as the important role they play within her own spiritual practice. Critical to this piece is advocacy for seed sovereignty and the right for farmers and cultivators to save, use, exchange, and sell their seed. This practice has been eroded since the 1930s through legislation giving corporate plant breeders seed rights, leading to declining seed biodiversity and the spread of hybrid varieties designed to increase corporate dependence. Apart from the San Pedro cactus, the plants in this installation were grown from seed sourced through Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona, whose mission is to conserve and promote arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security. Though fast-paced destruction in various forms continues to fuel the capitalist colonial systems we live in, Sembrando serves as a reminder of the importance of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and the regenerative capacities of nature.

Sembrando, 2024

Soil, coconut husk, tobacco, fava beans, chamomile, San Pedro cactus, peppermint, goldenrod, jade snap beans, alfalfa, stones, cotton, charcoal Courtesy of the artist

This living cartography is based on the AuthaGraph map, an equal-area world map that preserves a more accurate size representation of continents and oceans. Designed to flourish and grow over the course of the exhibition, the map re-imagines land bodies across the globe as borderless and ever-changing. Planted over an intentional blend of what the artist refers to as ‘history tellers’ - such as charcoal, cotton, and terra preta soil - the plants represented in Sembrando are nourishers known for their medicinal and ceremonial use in various regions. Aranibar-Fernández carefully selected each plant both through their ability to grow synergistically together as well as the important role they play within her own spiritual practice. Critical to this piece is advocacy for seed sovereignty and the right for farmers and cultivators to save, use, exchange, and sell their seed. This practice has been eroded since the 1930s through legislation giving corporate plant breeders seed rights, leading to declining seed biodiversity and the spread of hybrid varieties designed to increase corporate dependence. Apart from the San Pedro cactus, the plants in this installation were grown from seed sourced through Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona, whose mission is to conserve and promote arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security. Though fast-paced destruction in various forms continues to fuel the capitalist colonial systems we live in, Sembrando serves as a reminder of the importance of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and the regenerative capacities of nature.

Sembrando, 2024 (Detail)

Soil, coconut husk, tobacco, fava beans, chamomile, San Pedro cactus, peppermint, goldenrod, jade snap beans, alfalfa, stones, cotton, charcoal Courtesy of the artist

This living cartography is based on the AuthaGraph map, an equal-area world map that preserves a more accurate size representation of continents and oceans. Designed to flourish and grow over the course of the exhibition, the map re-imagines land bodies across the globe as borderless and ever-changing. Planted over an intentional blend of what the artist refers to as ‘history tellers’ - such as charcoal, cotton, and terra preta soil - the plants represented in Sembrando are nourishers known for their medicinal and ceremonial use in various regions. Aranibar-Fernández carefully selected each plant both through their ability to grow synergistically together as well as the important role they play within her own spiritual practice. Critical to this piece is advocacy for seed sovereignty and the right for farmers and cultivators to save, use, exchange, and sell their seed. This practice has been eroded since the 1930s through legislation giving corporate plant breeders seed rights, leading to declining seed biodiversity and the spread of hybrid varieties designed to increase corporate dependence. Apart from the San Pedro cactus, the plants in this installation were grown from seed sourced through Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona, whose mission is to conserve and promote arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security. Though fast-paced destruction in various forms continues to fuel the capitalist colonial systems we live in, Sembrando serves as a reminder of the importance of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and the regenerative capacities of nature.

Las flores permanecen, 2024

Tulle, embroidered flowers, sequins, glass beads, and copper Courtesy of the artist

This map records the scope of mining – both legal and illegal – found throughout South America. Each mine mars the surface of the flower-constructed map in white-beaded clumps meant to bring attention to the massive scale of mining that has overtaken the region. In South America, mining can often be found within protected areas as a consequence of the worldwide demand for minerals like copper, tin, nickel, bauxite, manganese, iron, and alluvial gold. The impact of mining on the region is severe due to the complete destruction of its surrounding environment. Mining accounts for deforestation, soil nutrient depletion, land erosion, and the poisoning of plants, animals, and waterways through its use of chemicals - like mercury in gold mining. Perhaps the most critical impact of mining happens to indigenous populations. To mark the scale of the current crisis, the largest indigenous territory in Brazil is the demarcated Yanomami Land, home to 27,000 indigenous people. Through recent estimates, their territory has been overtaken by more than 20,000 illegal miners emboldened by the extractivist greed of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s anti-environment regime. While solutions can be complex, an initial start comes through ethical consumption, raising awareness through environment and health monitoring, the support of international environmental agreements, as well as advocacy for the strengthening of indigenous rights, conscious mining practices of reciprocity, and increased transparency and traceability in raw material supply chains.

Las flores permanecen, 2024 (Detail)

Tulle, embroidered flowers, sequins, glass beads, and copper Courtesy of the artist

This map records the scope of mining – both legal and illegal – found throughout South America. Each mine mars the surface of the flower-constructed map in white-beaded clumps meant to bring attention to the massive scale of mining that has overtaken the region. In South America, mining can often be found within protected areas as a consequence of the worldwide demand for minerals like copper, tin, nickel, bauxite, manganese, iron, and alluvial gold. The impact of mining on the region is severe due to the complete destruction of its surrounding environment. Mining accounts for deforestation, soil nutrient depletion, land erosion, and the poisoning of plants, animals, and waterways through its use of chemicals - like mercury in gold mining. Perhaps the most critical impact of mining happens to indigenous populations. To mark the scale of the current crisis, the largest indigenous territory in Brazil is the demarcated Yanomami Land, home to 27,000 indigenous people. Through recent estimates, their territory has been overtaken by more than 20,000 illegal miners emboldened by the extractivist greed of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s anti-environment regime. While solutions can be complex, an initial start comes through ethical consumption, raising awareness through environment and health monitoring, the support of international environmental agreements, as well as advocacy for the strengthening of indigenous rights, conscious mining practices of reciprocity, and increased transparency and traceability in raw material supply chains.

La memoria de las huellas, 2022 (Detail)

Copper plates etched in acid Courtesy of the artist

This installation comprises 61 copper plates etched in acid - a process that removes surface layers from the metal to create a relief. Each plate hosts an etched drawing of an open-pit copper mine with its coordinates placed on the reverse. The copper plates hang together in a formation that mimics the topography of Chuquicamata, the largest open-pit copper mine in terms of excavated volume in the world. The title references imprints both in the visual similarities between mine topographies and human fingerprints and in the physical impressions that remain as open wounds on the earth.

La memoria de las huellas, 2022 (Detail)

Copper plates etched in acid Courtesy of the artist

This installation comprises 61 copper plates etched in acid - a process that removes surface layers from the metal to create a relief. Each plate hosts an etched drawing of an open-pit copper mine with its coordinates placed on the reverse. The copper plates hang together in a formation that mimics the topography of Chuquicamata, the largest open-pit copper mine in terms of excavated volume in the world. The title references imprints both in the visual similarities between mine topographies and human fingerprints and in the physical impressions that remain as open wounds on the earth.

Related Event

SMoCA’s 25th Birthday Celebration + Opening

Celebrate SMoCA’s 25th birthday and the opening of Carolina Aranibar-Fernández: Oleaje.

Press

At SMoCA, Carolina Aranibar-Fernández Uses Soil, Sequins, and Blood to Explore the Impacts of Global Trade, Southwest Contemporary, July 30, 2024

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art celebrates its 25th anniversary, Arizona Horizon (Arizona PBS), Feb. 6, 2024

SMoCA Director Jennifer McCabe Reflects On The Musuem’s Incredible 25-Year History, Scottsdale Modern Luxury, Feb. 2, 2024

Cultural Kaleidoscope: Scottsdale Museum Celebrates Silver Jubilee, IMAGES Arizona, Feb. 1, 2024

Carolina Aranibar-Fernández exhibition at SMoCA will examine the exploitation of natural resources (Scottsdale Arts news release)

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