Decker Orozco’s project, titled What Humans See as Blood, Jaguars See as Chicha, relates ancient oral traditions from the Bolivian Andes that imbue nature with personhood to revere and protect it. The work investigates storytelling about deities and sacred spaces in Kalaque, a region rich with unusual geological formations in the artist’s native Bolivia.
In the fall, Decker Orozco and her mentor met in Paris and London, where Huertas Millán co-curated a film program as part of her work with the initiative Counter Encounters. During two weeks of concentrated discussions and questioning different aspects of the work’s narration and presentation, they conceptualized elements of Decker Orozco's film installation and thought through the ethical questions it raises.
“I think that this mentorship program not only helps my project,” Decker Orozco says, “but also and especially it helps me grow as an artist, as a filmmaker, and also as a person. Being able to have all these reflections and conversations with Laura is very meaningful for me.”
The work will premiere at the seventh Forecast Festival, March 17–18, 2023 at Radialsystem.
