The Art of Tracing Water | Claudia González Godoy in Conversation

The Art of... | Talk


[14.12.2021]


Clean water is essential for life on earth. Access to it has been
a declared human right by the UN since 2010. In a country like
Chile, where water is no public good, rivers hence become a
symbol of a ruthless and failed economic system.


Chilean media and sound artist Claudia González Godoy works at
the intersection of art, science and technology. She dedicates
her work to Chilean rivers, which she considers – in a poetic way
– from geographical, socio-political and chemical perspectives.


With a sensitivity to systemic relationships and through
extensive field research she explores the effects of industrial
overuse of water on the environment and the communities living
along the rivers. Examples include excessive mining for copper
and hydroelectric power generation for private companies.


González Godoy translates the findings of her observation and
research into mixed media installations that integrate image and
sound. She combines digital technologies with analog processes
such as copper engraving. The works are animated by water and
electricity as central components.


For the conversation, Claudia González Godoy has invited the
curator, scholar and cultural manager Alessandra Burotto Tarky,
who has accompanied the artist's work for many years.