Foreign capitalism, parallel narratives, local notions

A weaving of feminine experiences on Lemuy Island

Abstract

Behind the established image of the idyllic and paradisiac rural landscape hides the hostile reality of people and resources exploitation. We live in a time of savage capitalism of extractive industries. Multinational economise are colonializing the territory and replacing local economies, evidencing one more time the continuity of the dominant logics in its various aspects. This research focuses on a particular case concerning a small island in Chile called Lemuy. The island has been loosing its autonomy, history, memory and local economies due to the implantation of salmon and mussel extractive industry. From this image and through an art practice-based Research we realized a collaborative work with the feminine community of Lemuy. We weaved literally and metaphorically the stories and the memories hand in hand with the artisan women of the island; gathering up with them subaltern stories to think, with and through them, about the costs and benefits of these capital flows. The methodology and the metaphor used in the weaving of baskets allowed the meeting and the dialogue, the exchange of experiences and knowledge (the local knowledge in particular). On its turn, this research proposes a critical work of recovering memories and subjectivities through an artistic practice that reflects on the local-global, capitalism and the identity under globalization and cultural homogenization.