A Curatorial Perspective on Two Objects
Maru García
Boiling Rock 1 detail. Compressed soil pellets. Image courtesy of Graham Coates Smith.
Maru Garcia’s Boiling Rock is derived from the origins of the mineral zeolite (Zeo "boiling," lithos "stone”), which is used in her art as well as community engaged research as a methodology to remediate soil. Her work, Boiling Rock 1, uses compressed soil pellets composed of contaminated soil collected by community scientists from their yards to create abstract mosaics that encapsulate the research carried out to discover how zeolites reduce levels of lead in the soil. This research is a part of Prospering backyards (Pb), a groundbreaking project by artist Maru Garcia that emerged from the Sinks: Places We Call Home exhibition research phase. Garcia and Self Help Graphics forged a partnership with the Natural History Museum community science team and curator of mineralogy to address the severe case of lead contamination in the soil caused by Exide Technologies in areas of South East and East Los Angeles. In addition to community science research with zeolites, Pb teaches the community about soil health through a series of “Soil Time” workshops that collaborate with organizations working on soil health. Scholar Frida Cano writes about Garcia’s work, “Pb operates under the principles of indigenous worldviews by regarding the Earth as sacred (rather than an inexhaustible resource or a repository for residues). Human beings are not viewed as the protagonists of history and instead acknowledge their belonging to an interconnected and balanced system that prospers in community. Although it uses the language of Western science, Pb manages to build a bridge through art connecting the generative life force found in every living being.”
Beatriz H. Jaramillo
In-Between Time, artist sketch, 2022. Image courtesy of the artist.
Beatriz H. Jaramillo’s installation sketch features layered maps that illustrate the historical, ongoing environmental contamination caused by the Athens Petroleum Tank Farm (in operation from 1926 to 1963), previously situated in what is now Magic Johnson Park in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Willowbrook. The first map of Rancho Tajáuta, dating back to 1852, reveals the origins of the industrial site which was once open fields with lakes running through the region. This map will be followed by a series of topographical maps dating from 1924 through 2022, displaying the rapid urbanization in and around the park, with the addition of Ujima Village, an affordable housing complex built above the Athens Petroleum site, and its demolition.
The diverse layers provide insight into the physical conditions of the terrain and the formation of the urban community, social interactions, and the undeniable contamination with hydrocarbons- in essence, the cycle of life, sickness, and death. The silk screening process is inherently layered, mirroring the complex chronological history while using tar from the La Brea Tar Pits as the medium, linking the work to the site's history of contamination, displacement, and government oversight.
Sinks: Places We Call Home seeks to elevate the voices and stories of the people from these neighborhoods, to inform audiences about land contamination, and to work toward alternative solutions.
Self Help Graphics & Art presented at Luckman Gallery at Cal State LA
5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles
WED-FRI:11AM - 4PM
(DURING EXHIBITIONS)
Discussions Questions
Questions by Self Help Graphics & Art
- What role can artists and arts organizations play in helping the community mitigate the risk of existing environmental contamination in our city?
- What are some ways that institutions and organizations (such as museums, community gardens, and others) create tangible partnerships with each other and the communities they serve to create environmental justice initiatives?
- How does Prospering Backyards showcase the intersection of art, science, and activism in addressing environmental justice issues? What do you see as the challenges?
Questions by the Natural HIstory Museum Community Scientists
- What does the exhibition reveal about the interconnectedness between environmental justice issues and marginalized communities in Los Angeles?
- What are the connections between Indigenous practices and Environmental sustainability? Environmental Remediation?
- What challenges are foreseen in building trust with the community members when engaging in difficult conversations? How can they become empowered to engage with their environment?
- The Natural History Department's Community Science department was crucial to making the sciences and its vocabulary tangible and accessible. What are the challenges between the sciences and the general audience?
- What are the historic traumas between the BIPOC community and science?
- What role can artists and arts organizations play in helping the community mitigate trauma and distrust of government agencies and the medical field?
Questions by Pb lead scientist Dr. Aaron Celestian (Mineral Scientist working on lead remediation) Questions
- By what process does this zeolite absorb the lead from the soil?
- What else are zeolites used for besides absorbing heavy metals?
- Describe the molecular geometry that sets zeolites apart from other minerals and makes them useful for absorbing .
- Not all zeolites are the same, so what makes zeolite useful for Pb sorption in prospering backyards?
- How common are zeolites? Where are they found in California?
Further EJ Discussion Questions
- To truly understand environmental disparities and the consequences of contamination, it is crucial to develop a personal connection with the matter and its impact. Is there knowledge of any environmental contamination or brownfields in your neighborhood? In adjacent communities? What are the conversations had? Are your council or government agencies involved?
- What local environmental organizations and activists, community gardens, churches, and community centers in your neighborhood address environmental concerns?
- What are the stories that connect us to the Earth? To our environment? How can they be transformed into actionable steps towards sustainability?
- Although studying challenging topics can be difficult, staying motivated and not discouraged is important. How can we maintain a balanced and peaceful state of mind?
- How can community input and collaboration improve research methodology?
- How can scientific research questions and direction benefit from surfacing details, nuance and priority-setting through community collaboration?
- What barriers might community members experience in engaging with academic institutions for scientific research?
- How do you think research data is impacted by “opening science up” to include many perspectives and lived experiences throughout the scientific process?
Bibliographic References
