The Quest
The Quest is a set of 9 vertical posters that can be arranged in multiple ways and also can be displayed as partial installations of any of those 9 posters. It was one of the projects I developed as part of a residency at the Facebook Analog Lab in 2019.
The idea was to build a narrative that starts with issues relating to Climate Change but can go further than that. The Quest does explore how we are shaping the world and how we need to reconnect to nature in order to get a better understanding of the problems and the solutions to the current environmental issues.
One fundamental pillar of the subject approach was provided by Wendell Berry’s 1970 essay Think Little where he states: “What I am saying is that if we apply our minds directly and competently to the needs of the earth, then we will have begun to make the fundamental and necessary changes in our minds”.
When developing the images, I decided to take an idea from Spanish philosopher María Zambrano (1904 - 1991) in her seminal book Claros de Bosque (1977) [Clearings of the Forest]. She uses poetic prose to explain her ideas. She uses the idea of a Clearing in the Forest as a metaphor to help her explain how we make sense of the world and our existence. Every clearing is like a small piece of a bigger jigsaw that gives us clues of the bigger meaning of life.
“And we are left with the nothingness, the void that is the answer we get from the clearing of the forest. But if we are not searching, the reward will be unpredictable, limitless.”
The idea of the Clearing in the Forest as a place of wonder that leads you into a further search is at the core of the Quest. I used María Zambrano’s metaphor in a visual way through all the images. They are intended to open questions about what they represent and their meaning in the context of the current climate crisis. Instead of being judgemental, I’ve opted for offering a positive view in our ability to adapt and overcome these new challenges.
It is quite normal that posters from the Facebook Analog Lab are placed in Facebook Headquarters walls forming rows and columns. I decided to take advantage of that.
The images work on their own but they also tile in loads of different ways, giving the composition an additional meaning. Here you have some examples on how they can be arranged.
The process involved a lot of drawing to make sure each poster was strong enough on its own but also, it would connect with the other 8 posters.
The images were created using graphite, scratchboards and textures made from the waste of the Riso machine they have at the Lab.
