Lavandera connects to her existing series of installations Floor is Lava. In the process of collecting materials, Roimola deepens into the social, cultural and economic context of each country and the relationship between art, landscape, environmental crisis, identity and poverty.
The action of washing the black plastic, surface of the mountain, reminds the poetic and powerful images of Lavadeiras, a trade carried out by poor indigenous, black and mixed-race women in Latin America who had the burden of washing the dirt produced by the most favored classes while they were exploited or enslaved.
Roimola invited the public to spend a moment connecting to the Earth in the street of San Paulista. “By washing the dirty plastic we have a possibility to understand the amount of waste and harm done to nature as well as how by small actions we can give the power back. Cleaning plastic and the cycle of energy in this process is an act of care” says the artist. The work invites the viewer to face themselves in relation to nature. When the work is done as a community, it is possible to influence the attitude of society in the midst of this climate disaster. The work gives a tangible moment, a physical way to deal with feelings of inadequacy related to the eco-catastrophe. Sharing work with others feels liberating and highlights collective responsibility for the environment.
Supported by Madrid institute, TelepArt and Finnish Embassy in Brazil.
2024
