{"id":477,"date":"2023-11-13T18:25:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T18:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/?page_id=477"},"modified":"2023-11-13T18:36:06","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T18:36:06","slug":"amalia-pica","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/amalia-pica\/","title":{"rendered":"AMALIA PICA"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

AMALIA PICA<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
ESPA\u00d1OL\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>

Como inmigrante, el nombre Elephant & Castle siempre atrajo la imaginaci\u00f3n de Amalia Pica. Invitada por Latin Elephant, la reconocida artista argentina desarroll\u00f3 el taller\u00a0<\/span>Arquitectura Mutante y Animales Inveros\u00edmiles<\/span><\/i> tomando este barrio, epicentro de la vida Latinoamericana en Londres, como punto de partida para reflexionar sobre los significados y sentidos que tiene hoy habitar, y c\u00f3mo esto se cruza con cuestiones de infraestructura. En esta conversaci\u00f3n, la artista nos cuenta sobre su taller, donde los participantes fueron invitados a crear sus propias criaturas fant\u00e1sticas, y sobre la identidad latina en su profesi\u00f3n y la capacidad del arte para habilitar cambios reales.<\/span><\/p>

Hola Amalia, gracias por tu tiempo para esta entrevista.<\/b><\/p>

\u00bfNos puedes relatar de qu\u00e9 se trat\u00f3 tu workshop y c\u00f3mo se enmarca en tu pr\u00e1ctica art\u00edstica?<\/b><\/p>

Mi taller se bas\u00f3\u00a0en el collage a trav\u00e9s\u00a0del dibujo. Estoy explorando el collage en mi trabajo siguiendo reglas que\u00a0determinan el inventario de elementos a utilizar y esto es justamente lo que hicimos en el taller.<\/span><\/p>

Espec\u00edficamente,\u00a0utilizamos\u00a0los libros de la biblioteca para levantar im\u00e1genes\u00a0e incorporarlas\u00a0como partes del dise\u00f1o de un mutante. Las reglas eran incluir un elemento bot\u00e1nico, mineral, animal, objetual y arquitect\u00f3nico\u00a0de la zona de Elephant & Castle. Una vez listo el dise\u00f1o, los transferimos a repasadores para que los mutantes habiten las casas de sus creadores.<\/span><\/p>

\u00bfTienes en mente alg\u00fan impacto en particular que te gustar\u00eda generar en tu audiencia?\u00a0 \u00bfQu\u00e9 sucedi\u00f3 particularmente con los participantes del workshop?<\/b><\/p>

La gente tiene muchos prejuicios en relaci\u00f3n a la habilidad t\u00e9cnica\u00a0necesaria para el dibujo, sobre las reglas para calcar y no calcar, por ejemplo. El taller fue pensado espec\u00edficamente\u00a0para ense\u00f1ar t\u00e9cnicas\u00a0que son “atajos” y que permiten un acercamiento al dibujo.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Me gustar\u00eda\u00a0que l@s asistentes sientan libertad frente a la posibilidad creativa, sin sentirse limitad@s\u00a0por su habilidad. Siento que a veces tener\u00a0“reglas” ayuda a expandir la imaginaci\u00f3n, al contrario de lo que pudiese pensarse. Funcion\u00f3 muy bien esta idea en el taller. L@s participantes crearon sin tener el miedo inicial de la hoja en blanco y tod@s dijeron que quer\u00edan\u00a0conservar su repasador.<\/span><\/p>

\u00bfQu\u00e9 lugar ocupa en tu pr\u00e1ctica art\u00edstica tu identidad Latina? \u00bfC\u00f3mo se expresa el territorio del que sos originari@ en tu trabajo?<\/b><\/p>

Es un lugar en flujo constante, justamente igual que la noci\u00f3n\u00a0de la identidad. Hay veces en que mi origen es m\u00e1s\u00a0aparente en mi trabajo, y otras veces menos. En t\u00e9rminos\u00a0generales, intento conservar un lugar de libertad en mi pr\u00e1ctica\u00a0sin sentir que debo o no expresar mi latinidad. A veces esta identidad aflora m\u00e1s\u00a0directamente que otras.<\/span><\/p>


<\/span>\u00bfQu\u00e9 representa o qu\u00e9 imagen tiene para vos Elephant & Castle en relaci\u00f3n a la comunidad Latina en Londres?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

Siento que es un punto de concentraci\u00f3n\u00a0fuerte y eso ayuda a sentir que hay un referente en Londres adonde “volver”. Al no ser parte estricta de esta comunidad en particular, siempre la he considerado un lugar a visitar cuando quiero comprar algo, por ejemplo. Latinoam\u00e9rica es un lugar amplio y diverso y se me hace l\u00f3gico\u00a0no sentirme totalmente representada en ning\u00fan sitio. Mis visitas al barrio me traen aires de casa, y tambi\u00e9n\u00a0aires de otros lares.<\/span><\/p>

\u00bfQu\u00e9 pasa cuando una comunidad es desplazada de su espacio geogr\u00e1fico y qu\u00e9 lugar puede ocupar el arte en t\u00e9rminos c\u00edvicos o de resistencia en relaci\u00f3n a procesos de gentrificaci\u00f3n?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

Creo que el arte puede ser un refugio, y tambi\u00e9n\u00a0puede generar un proceso de reflexi\u00f3n. Desgraciadamente, el arte en s\u00ed llega muchas veces a los lugares como parte de la gentrificaci\u00f3n, y por eso se me hace fundamental poder hacer accesible el costado procesual y abierto del arte a las personas que sufren tambi\u00e9n los aspectos negativos de la gentrificaci\u00f3n. En el mejor de los casos, el arte puede ser una manera de conservar espacios de improvisaci\u00f3n\u00a0cuando la gentrificaci\u00f3n atenta contra ellos.<\/span><\/p>

\u00bfCrees que el arte tiene la capacidad de efectuar cambios reales, iniciar procesos sociales?<\/b><\/p>

Quisiera creer que s\u00ed, pero\u00a0no es tan sencillo decir que el arte puede o debe efectuar\u00a0cambio social. Principalmente el arte es invenci\u00f3n\u00a0humana y creo que no existe aislado de un contexto. El arte es parte de los procesos sociales, a veces m\u00e1s\u00a0al frente que otras. Los agentes del cambio debemos ser las personas. El arte somos nosotros, y somos nosotros los que posibilitamos cambios. A veces se responsabiliza al arte de efectuar cambios que las personas y las instituciones ni siquiera intentan efectuar, y esto es algo de lo que debemos defender al arte.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0ENGLISH<\/span><\/h5>

As an immigrant, the name Elephant & Castle always caught Amalia Pica’s imagination. Invited by Latin Elephant, the renowned Argentine artist developed the workshop titled\u00a0 <\/span>Mutant Architecture and Unbelievable Animals<\/span><\/i>, taking this neighbourhood, the epicentre of Latin American life in London, as a starting point to reflect on the meanings that inhabiting has today and how this intersects with infrastructure issues. In this conversation, the artist tells us about her workshop, where the participants were invited to create their own fantastic creatures, about her Latino identity in her profession and the ability of art to enable real change.<\/span><\/p>

Hi Amalia, thanks for your time today for this interview.<\/b><\/p>

Could you tell us about your workshop and how it fit into your artistic practice?<\/b><\/p>

My workshop was based on the practice of collage through drawing. I am currently exploring collage in my work, following rules that determine the inventory of elements to use and this is exactly what we did in the workshop.<\/span><\/p>

Specifically, we used the library books to lift images and incorporate them as parts of a mutant design. The rules were to include a botanical, mineral, animal, object and architectural element from the Elephant & Castle area. Once the designs were ready, we transferred them to tea towels, so that the mutants would inhabit the homes of their creators.<\/span><\/p>

Do you have in mind a particular kind of impact that you would like to generate in your audience? What happened with the participants of your workshop?<\/b><\/p>

People have many prejudices regarding the technical skills necessary for drawing, about the rules for tracing and not tracing, for example. The workshop was specifically designed to teach techniques that are “shortcuts” and that allow an approach to drawing.<\/span><\/p>

I would like the attendees to feel free when facing a creative possibility, without feeling limited by their abilities. I feel that sometimes having “rules” helps to expand the imagination, contrary to what one might think. This idea worked very well in the workshop. The participants created their work without the initial fear of the blank page, and all said they wanted to keep their tea towel.<\/span><\/p>

What place does your Latin identity occupy in your artistic practice? How is\u00a0 your territory of origin expressed in your work?<\/b><\/p>

It is a place in constant flux, just like the notion of identity. There are times when my origin is more apparent in my work, and other times less so. In general terms, I try to maintain a place of freedom in my practice without feeling that I should or should not express my \u201cLatinidad\u201d. Sometimes this identity emerges more directly than others.<\/span><\/p>

What does Elephant & Castle represent or what image does it have for you in relation to the Latin community in London?<\/b><\/p>

I feel that it is a strong concentration point and that it helps to feel that there is a reference point in London where to “return”. Even if I\u2019m not strictly part of this community, I have always considered it a place to visit when I want to buy something, for example. Latin America is a vast and diverse place, and it makes sense to me that I don’t feel fully represented anywhere. My visits to the neighbourhood bring me airs from home, and airs from other places.<\/span><\/p>

What happens when a community is displaced from its geographical space and what place can art occupy in civic terms or in terms of resistance in relation to gentrification processes?<\/b><\/p>

I believe that art can be a refuge, and it can also generate a process of reflection. Unfortunately, art itself often arrives in places as part of gentrification, and that is why it is essential for me to be able to make the procedural and open side of art accessible to people who also suffer from the negative aspects of gentrification. In the best of cases, art can be a way of conserving spaces for improvisation when gentrification threatens them.<\/span><\/p>

Do you think that art has the capacity to effect real changes, initiate social processes?<\/b><\/p>

I would like to believe so, but it is not so simple to say that art can or should effect social change. Mainly, art is a human invention and I believe that it does not exist isolated from a context. Art is part of social processes, and sometimes it\u2019s more to the fore than others. The agents of change must be people. Art is us, and we are the ones who make changes possible. Art is sometimes blamed for effecting changes that people and institutions don’t even try to effect, and this is something we must defend art from.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AMALIA PICA ESPA\u00d1OL\u00a0 Como inmigrante, el nombre Elephant & Castle siempre atrajo la imaginaci\u00f3n de Amalia Pica. Invitada por Latin Elephant, la reconocida artista argentina desarroll\u00f3 el taller\u00a0Arquitectura Mutante y Animales Inveros\u00edmiles tomando este barrio, epicentro de la vida Latinoamericana en Londres, como punto de partida para reflexionar sobre los significados y sentidos que tiene […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-477","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=477"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":488,"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/477\/revisions\/488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/latinelephant.org\/InhabitingSpaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}