All possible forests #10 Self Portrait, 2023

Maria Jose Arjona  

From the series All Possible Forest
Inkjet print on photo rag bryta (Archival Paper)

This artwork captures a lone figure standing atop a lush, verdant cliff, using a large, striking copper megaphone aimed at the expansive, winding river below. The dynamic contrast between the industrial, human-made object and the vast, untamed landscape creates a powerful visual narrative. The river snakes through dense greenery, under a sky pregnant with potential rain, evoking themes of communication and connection with nature. The megaphone, gleaming in the soft light, symbolizes human attempts to interact with and perhaps dominate the natural world. The figure’s silhouette, stark against the backdrop of endless forest, adds an element of mystery and contemplation, urging viewers to ponder the silent yet thunderous dialogue between humanity and the environment. This juxtaposition of natural beauty and human intervention is captured with both clarity and depth, making the piece a compelling exploration of our relationship with the world around us.

Other Possible Forests unfolds a horizon of vital potentialities, where listening serves as a conduit for exploring the natural world, immersing us in its molecular memory and transposing the sounds and language of the Colombian jungle into the urban realm. Following the course of the Guaviare River to Cerro Azul in the San José del Guaviare region, María José Arjona meticulously gathers the sonic heritage of this pivotal and liminal territory. This act of listening emerges as a political gesture, positing the body as a site of resonance and a nexus between disparate worlds. The photographs emerge as one of the multifaceted layers constituting the totality of the project, forging a nuanced relationship between the creation of visual imagery and the soundscapes that inherently envelop them. Central to these compositions, the copper cone invites the viewer to engage in an act of listening that transcends visual perception. This perfor-imaginative exercise hints at the emergence of another forest beyond the perceptible, an affective space shared by beings that co-vibrate with the planet. In this context, distinctions between the artist's corporeal presence, what we conventionally classify as nature, and the observer become increasingly porous; dissolution manifests as the sonic dimensio permeates the visual horizon, submerging anthropocentric narratives and situating us within a less predictable yet profoundly affective realm.