Collective identities, artistic practices and biodiversity: the cases of Cerezales and Valldaura

Abstract

The delocalisation of the economy and ubiquitous production are consequences of globalisation and of the spread of new forms of communication, and artistic production has not been immune to these phenomena. The proliferation of diverse cultural projects in rural peripheries throughout the Iberian Peninsula confirms that relevant contemporary artistic expression is no longer confined to cities and the urban sphere. Many of these peripheral initiatives are the result of a symbiosis between art collectives, social movements, and/or institutions. An increasing interest in cultural biodiversity and the use of new technologies allows these local experiences to be territorialised. What is the perception of biodiversity and new media in these contexts? How do the different languages involved connect to the territory, and how is knowledge about biodiversity constructed? What relationships emerge between gender, community and technology? In order to explore these questions, a comparative analysis of the perception of the landscape was carried out in two communities engaged in cultural and artistic initiatives that bring together traditional rural, artistic and activist agents. The results highlight the emergence of collective identities and reaffirm the need to connect nature and biological knowledge to empirical learning and cultural practices. The discussion moves between the organic and digital spheres and suggests that the languages and practices of contemporary art can be the engine for new forms of community and processes for the collective construction of knowledge.