Latin American Forum
Symposium:
Presentation Title:
- Latin American Forum
Presenter(s):
Abstract:
IN THE BOOK LA RECUPERACION DE TECNOLOGIAS INDIGENAS, Peruvian anthropologist Alexander Herrera describes an archaeological site from early modernity in Bolivia: the Uyuni railway complex in Potosi. This site is a sort of cemetery of large pieces of railway equipment. In a picture of the place included in the catalog, one can read handwritten graffiti on a huge abandoned locomotive: That’s life: We need an experienced mechanic. The conceptual core of ISEA2012 ALBUQUEROUE: Machine Wilderness, which has been translated into Spanish as ‘Maquina Indomita’, is an idea proposed by the cultural geographer Ronald Horvath to address the automobile’s impact on the landscape of the southwestern United States. With spaces in mind like the Uyuni railway complex, it has been clear since the beginning that the conceptual guidelines of ISEA2012 have deep resonances with several issues relevant to Latin America.
