Y Bolivia Se Desangró una vez más: Voices in Collective Thought
Y Bolivia Se Desangró una vez más / and Bolivia bled out once more: Voices in Collective Thought
Accordion book, 2019
top: OEA Fraud Report, Newspaper Electoral Results
bottom: burned and unburned clothes, Wiphala Flag
Y Bolivia Se Desangró una vez más: Voices in Collective Thought
by Sofia Mendez Subieta
...Voices in Collective Thought presents some of the events and popular reactions lived throughout the October 20th electoral fraud and current crisis in Bolivia. Last November, after a thirteen year long presidency and a scandalous attempt at fraud (as proved in a 2019 report conducted by the Organización de los Estados Americanos or American States Organization), Evo Morales stepped down from presidency.
To begin with, Evo’s candidacy was illegitimate given that a 2016 constitutional referendum showed people’s refusal to allow him to rule for an unconstitutional fourth consecutive term. His status as the country’s first indigenous president represented inclusion of native communities in politics, which it lacks. However, his governance and actions have often not reflected the values he champions in his discourse. For example, his administration allowed for resource extraction in protected areas and deforestation.
Public discourse is referenced in the work through quotes from cultural figures such as sociologist and feminist Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui as well as personal testimonies as heard in radio stations and social media. The story can be read from several starting points; the long-form accordion invites the viewer to play with the narrative, selecting sections and connecting words of their choice, thus emphasizing the theme of a multiplicity of perspectives and hinting at the need for communication and listening. The perspectives also hint at the variety of information one is exposed to depending on the media they consume.
On one side, a coiled cover depicts the event of the fraud through reports and graphs. On the other, the cover follows the order, colors, and symbolism of the Wiphala flag. There are many variants to this flag and it is often used to represent indigenous communities. The coiled fabric is cut from used clothes, introducing the quotidian quality of politics into the conversation as well as the collective effort needed to move forward from conflict without racism and hate. Yellow, which represents solidarity within the symbolism established in the Wiphala, is repeated before order is restored.
Holistically, ...Voices in Collective Thought proposes that the lack of justice regarding the violence committed against indigenous communities functions as a fundamental force that allowed for the ex-president’s abuse of power. This work prompts conversations and questions that are inevitable during social change, like “How do we collectively deal with trauma and move forward from crisis?”
Sofia Mendez Subieta is a Bolivian artist currently living in the USA. As a natural consequence of a long fascination with books, her work often takes the form of sequenced, intimate and interactive objects.