La Papita

Matthew 2
“La Papita” is an installation made out of approximately a thousand interconnected potatoes to produce enough voltage capable of displaying flag of Chile composed by 264 color LEDs. Under this, another LED structure shows the title of the installation.
The connection, cloves 99% copper and galvanized metal used as acid medium potato pulp to generate the necessary chemical reaction to produce energy which results in voltage. This connection, between each nail as well as the flag, is done completely manually, resulting in a structure which dialoges between lightweight and heavyness, fragile or between grand and useless.
The installation recovers an engraving of the artist Victor Grippo, 1972, acquired by the chilean National Museum of Fine Arts in 1975. The engraving describes an apparatus capable of recording the metabolic changes of a potato and was made in the context of the formation of CAyC, the Arts and Communication Center, founded with the aim of “promoting the realization of projects and ehxibitions where art, the technological media and community interests combine in an efficient exchange that brings the new unity of art, science and the social environment in which we live. “(Glusberg, 1969)[1]
Grippo’s work acts as a bridge that crosses, temporally and geographically, the slogan to produce a practical and meaningful relationship between art, science, technology and politics. In the context of a Biennial which deals, among other things, to practice this slogan, “La Papita” is an ironic application, nationalist symbolic reduction that principle in a context in which to become eco-friendly or pro-eco has also been the move of a capitalism that attempts to dress friendly.
The text, “La Papita” acts as a localism that describes an action or activity as something easy or little effort. So Chile, renewable resources, even the same potato acquires the title of “La Papita” as something convenient. Still, the phenomenon, what physically happens behind the symbols and statements, continues to fluctuate as the weak energy varies degradation of potato and hardly pronounced in its delicate gadgetry. Something invisible, prior to any application.
Matthew neary


[1] http://www.surdoc.cl/detalleObjeto.php?id=301234