Claudia Calle is a young talented artist, a photographer, native of Manizales, Colombia who last year received the 2009 Honorific Mention at the International Photography Awards.
The exhibit "Republic of China," which opened last Saturday during Wynwood Arts Walk, drew many visitors to a packed and steamy evening everywhere around the neighborhood.
Capturing the landscapes and cultures of the places she constantly visits, her work is the outcome between spontaneity and conscientious labor, acknowledging and respecting the culture and social customs of the people she meets.
Fabrikalink who shares the space with Claudia Calle, a corner studio located on NW 2 Avenue and 27 Street, in the heart of Wynwood also exhibited to provide an even cooler evening vibe with a Samuel Adams beer tasting.
Claudia Calle
Q: Claudia tell us how and why did you develop the concept of this exhibit titled "Republic of China"? What's the meaning behind?
A: About 3 years ago, I went to China to visit that part of the world and what happened was that at the moment I arrived, I realized how wrong I was holding this preconceived notion about China. I was really impressed. What a neat country and so well organized! Everything I saw was amazing. It took me a year and half to come up with this exhibit.
The concept of "Republic of China," was to honor and fill with my creativity the absence of the feeling of having China so close to us. For example, 80% of the things we wear and use come from China. In other words, in our lives we are using 80% of the energy that requires to produce the items we use. From the toothbrush to the fancy pair of shoes. You have no idea how many people is behind to come up with the final product you don't care about much.
Initially our preconceived notion about China was of a country that produced cheap materials and imitations while expanding astronomically their commercial ambitions and platforms. Very silently and over the decades, they introduced their brands to the West, like a huge silent entity doing business with the world.
Then, we, in this part of the globe, oblivious to this fact, we keep importing goods and keep on being careless about the human labor involved in these transactions between countries. Children, women involved. We don't know what they believe or what they do, what they eat or what's their culture or religion.
This is the reason why I wanted to do this exhibition: to be able to bring to Miami the feeling I experienced over there through my photographs, paintings and designs.
Q: What impressed you the most?
A: Their vast culture but what it struck me the most was the fact that not only they keep producing what we consume but now, I saw first hand they want to be just like us. They want our brands, our Mac Donalds, our Starbucks our Burger Kings. They love Nike.
Q: Tell us about the collage of the soldier painting?
A: We see them [soldiers] with so much rigidity but it's totally the opposite, they are human like you and me, they have feelings. They have to adapt to the one-child policy, children growing by themselves without brothers or cousins. What would be the overall impact at large? The soldier is just that. We can all make ourselves appear we are rigid but we are soft inside. This is the reason why the collage comes from the soldier's heart to the outside, like a cry that is coming from within. It's a beautiful connection.
Q: Can you tell us about these colorful large format photographs of those women?
A: Yes, that's another series made in Thailand, "Living in Silence," as well as the series of women Padaung, the giraffe's neck women that live just in the border between Myanmar and Thailand. At this moment, these women have no freedom. Thailand rejects their status and does not grant them residency. They are like in some sort of limbo suffering that crisis.
Q: What about the "Living in Silence" series?
A: It's about the monks who live in silence in Thailand. I personally find it difficult in me to quiet my mind so taking these photographs series made me appreciate this challenge towards meditation even more. To be in silence is a challenge for all of us. That series gave me an honor mention at the International Photography Awards 2009. I was impressed myself there were 20,000 photographs participating for this.
Toto Gonzalez @ Fabrikalink
Q: Hello Toto Gonzalez, sorry to interrupt you, this is such a cool event here in Wynwood, would you please tell us what is Fabrika art space and what is going on tonight?
A: We are having an event with Fabrika art space with Claudia Calle, we are celebrating summer, having cool beer with Sam Adams promoting these brands and also showing the newest merchandise from Claudia.
Q: Is this the first time you do something like this?
A: No. We are here since last Art Basel and from 3 months ago we have been doing things every Wynwood Arts Walk trying to uplift the neighborhood making it more alive than already is.
Q: For those who don't know about the Fabrika brand, would you please tell us what it is?
A: It's a web portal with more than nine years in the Miami market and beyond that promotes culture at large within our city: art, music, concerts, theater, dance. Every week, we send a Fabrika Weekly Planner link which currently has a list of 55,000 plus subscribers that receive a list of major events happening throughout Miami. Fabrikalink is about our lifestyles. Most of us are musicians, artists but at the same time we want to see what others are doing so we kind of put all this together and send out relevant information to interested people. Download the IPhone application man! News Reviews and Music!
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