Tasks that matter: care work and community in visual arts from Chile

Abstract

References to care are present in the works of women artists in Chile between 2000 and 2022. Examples of this are the works of Karen Pazán, Zaida González, Gabriela Rivera, Rocío Hormazábal, Senoritaaugarte and Antonieta Clunes. Our study proposes to analyze their critical or resistance approaches to care in connection with communities and artistic techniques. The works address different variants of care with critical and decolonial visions, ranging from the physical and spiritual exploitation of women, the damage to other human sectors and living beings, to the affectation of the ecosystem. The combination of traditional artistic manifestations, ephemeral or made with technical devices are a significant factor in the critical content of the works. Particularly, the digital medium, originated by the war industry and promoted by the capitalism of large companies, serves to defend the right to life. Our study follows the theoretical approach of resistance art, combining the perspectives of feminism, cultural studies, and visual studies. Applies the qualitative methodology, the discourse analysis method, and the historical-descriptive and analytical approaches.