And Now the People know
Mercury contamination in the Amazon through the eyes and hands of Brazil's Indigenous Munduruku people
Starting from portraits and landscapes I brought back to the community, I invited collective creative interventions. Using paint, beads, earth, leaves, water and fire, these images were transformed into works that are both testimony and protest, carrying the story of mercury contamination in their bodies, their forest and their river.
The colour palette and materials are symbolic: Red for their blood Gold for mining Silver for mercury, forest materials, Amazon sunshine for cyanotypes.
Gold prices are reaching record highs, but far from financial centres this surge has devastating consequences. In the Brazilian Amazon, the growing demand for gold fuels illegal mining.
Mercury used to extract gold poisons rivers, contaminates fish and accumulates in the bodies of Indigenous communities who depend on these waters for life.
This is only the beginning.
And Now the People Know is a collaborative project created with the Munduruku people of the Brazilian Amazon to raise awareness of mercury contamination caused by illegal gold mining.
I am looking for partners, supporters and collaborators to help this artivism continue, create new work and bring these stories to new audiences.
If this project resonates with you, I would love to hear from you.
Help Indigenous communities resist illegal mining and protect their territory via their Pariri Association.
All works are available for purchase. Fifty percent of sales go directly to the Munduruku village of Sawré Muybu.
If you are interested in sponsorship, partnerships, exhibitions or future collaborations, please leave your details below.
