Rató, Spirit of Waterfalls

Abstract

In “Rató, Spirit of Waterfalls,” Antonio Briceño celebrates the culture of the Pemon indigenous people in Venezuela. Indigenous peoples have rich connections to the land. The value of their traditional knowledge is beginning to be appreciated. But many indigenous peoples must battle outside interests that have different ambitions for their ancestral homes. Securing their land rights can help protect their livelihoods, their rich cultural heritage, and some of the most biodiverse locations in the world. In “Rató, Spirit of Waterfalls,” Antonio Briceño celebrates the culture of the Pemon indigenous people in Venezuela. Indigenous peoples have rich connections to the land. The value of their traditional knowledge is beginning to be appreciated. But many indigenous peoples must battle outside interests that have different ambitions for their ancestral homes. Securing their land rights can help protect their livelihoods, their rich cultural heritage, and some of the most biodiverse locations in the world. Antonio Briceño is a Venezuelan photographer and biologist whose work promotes the conservation of nature and indigenous cultures. In his dramatic body of work entitled “Gods of America,” Briceño creates dynamic portraits of indigenous people set against natural and cultural landscapes. Briceño melds images of primordial environments and spiritual leaders into visions that evoke the archetypes commonly found in human cultures throughout time. In each photograph, Briceño portrays a scene from the spiritual narrative of an indigenous culture. He presents his deified subject as the “owner” of a natural element or force, drawing attention to the stark difference between Western concepts of ownership and those of indigenous cultures. The indigenous “owners” do not exercise dominion over nature with the right to exploit it but rather are the humble guardians of the natural world, responsible for its stewardship. In these images, the owners are extensions of nature itself, spiritual symbols of the gifts of life. From a cascading waterfall to a headdress of fish, each of Briceño’s visual mythologies provides a glimpse into an aboriginal heritage in which life continues to unfold within the cathedral of nature. Artwork selection and curatorial statement provided by Art Works for Change. To learn more about this artist and his work, visit https://www.artworksforchange.org/portfolio/antonio-briceno/.