About Transient Waters
The "Transient Waters" project is a personal visual research initiative that started in 2019, tracing the rivers of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, Colombia. Initially conceived as a technical exploration of long-exposure photography, the project transformed into a more profound investigation of the notions of time and transitions. It raises questions about the conventional understanding of water systems solely as a natural resource.
The images in this project center on water and flow forms, offering an abstract interpretation of certain symbolic elements drawn from the local Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa, and Kankuamo cosmogonic traditions. These include the mythical creation of water, believed to originate from the thoughts of Aluna, the primal spirit of Nature, and subsequently materialize as the sacred lagoons, rivers, and oceans - the very essence and foundation of both natural and spiritual life.
In today's environmental policymaking in Colombia, a country known for its incredible biodiversity and plentiful water resources, "Transient Waters" seeks to enhance the conversation by highlighting the deep spiritual and emotional value of water, going beyond its usual portrayal as just an economic asset.
Can we stop climate change?
The new generation of indigenous people from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta has an important message. They believe that it’s too late to stop climate change, so we need to adapt to it. The previous generation of environmental activists among the Arhuaco, Kogi, Wiwa and Kankuamo, people worked hard to prevent climate change over the past 30 years. But the new generation seems more ready to accept the fact that the damage done to the environment is irreversible, and our mission now is to lessen the pain of it’s inevitable loss.