Nela Garzón: Made in China

Made in China questions the mercantile and disposable paradigm of objects in conflict with cultural identities. The body of work produced for this project inquires about the wide effects of consumerism and mass production and comments on the loss of cultural identity of indigenous communities from different parts of the world in the hands of ethnocentrism, globalization and industrialization.

This global problem supported by us (consumers), besides devastating the environment, affects everyone but mostly minorities who have been maintaining the cultural heritage and diversity of the world alive.

Hundreds of Uyghurs sitting on praying matts, that have random apparel items scattered as if they were in a clothing factory instead of praying.

屁 is for دۇئا but also for ئولجى / P is for Duya but also for Yolji

“P is for Pray but also for Prey”

西 is for كېۋەز / C is for Kéwez

“C is for Cotton”

艾娜 is for جامان تۉش / N is for Jaman tüş

“N is for Nightmare”

Made in China started as an ongoing project of handmade Molas, which are unique hand sewn illustrated fiber art pieces made by the Guna women from Colombia and Panamá, their Molas show images of their cosmogony and are used as essential parts of the women's attire. My appropriation of Molas depict common consumer goods usually mass produced in China. This project intends to give awareness about mass production vs hand-made traditional crafts done by indigenous people from around the globe and the value given to fast-making and fast consuming goods vs the devaluation of tradition and environment caused by capitalism and consumerism.

“Thirst” is the first of my appropriations of a Mola, and it tells a story about the indigenous communities suffering because of lack of water and medical care among other basic needs. In Colombian Guajira, Wayuu children die every day of thirst and malnourishment, while civilized people focus on attaining stuff. Big companies arrive to Colombia offering money to white collars in order to obtain permits to drill ancestral lands that have been cared for by indigenous communities for centuries bringing drought to rivers, imbalance to full ecosystems and even killings to indigenous leaders and activists. All for money that will never replace the environmental nor cultural loss. Indigenous communities from around the globe take care of the planet better than modern individuals, but their human rights are violated too frequently.