History of Chilean Mining Mural: Colonial Chile / Chile Colonial

domingo, 11 de mayo de 2008

Colonial Chile / Chile Colonial

For detail view click HERE

III. “Colonial Chile” / Historical Mural (2.05 MT x 3.15 MT)

As meagre it may sound for today’s standards, over the 270 years of colonial period, Chile produced roughly 81.550 tons of copper. Nevertheless the constitution of a coinage house and the emergence of a mestizo miner, prepared the country towards independence and the realization of new mining regulations which could guarantee the advent of an industrial revolution eager of raw materials.

The general composition is dominated by Toesca’s “Real Casa de la Moneda” 1805, today better known as “Palacio de la Moneda” or government palace representing a classic model of Chilean criollo idiosyncrasy. The facade has been counter balanced by a sequence of Chilean miner archetypes which dominated the landscape up until late 19^th century. The depiction of Mier’s hydraulic mill is an abbreviation of Chile’s mayor struggle, which is the scarcity of energy resources. Far in the background we observe a romantic scene of Rugenda’s “Plaza de la Independencia”.

III. “Chile Colonial” / Mural Histórico (2.05 MT x 3.15 MT)

Por insignificante que pueda sonar para los estándares de hoy en día, en los más de 270 años de historia colonial, Chile produjo apenas 81.550 toneladas de cobre. Sin embargo, la constitución de una casa real de monedas y la emergencia del minero chileno mestizo prepararon el país hacia una independencia con la realización de nuevas regulaciones mineras y el advenimiento de una revolución industrial ávida de materias primas.

El paisaje urbanístico es dominado por la fachada de la Casa Real de la Moneda, obra de Toesca (1805) que hoy día conocemos como el palacio de la moneda representando un modelo de una idiosincrasia criolla imperante. El frontis es cruzado por una secuencia de arquetipos de mineros chilenos que dominaron el paisaje hasta fines del siglo XIX. Hacia la parte inferior observamos un dibujo esquemático de un molino hidráulico diseñado por Miers que nos hace recordar nuestro mayor problema en el área productiva que es el recurso energético. Hacia el fondo observamos una perspectiva de la plaza de la Independencia del pintor romántico Rugendas.

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Artdaily.org: Chilean Mining Mural News

Artdaily.org / June 26, 2005

The History of Chilean Mining in a Mural

Alexander Sutulov, Precolombian Colonial Section (detail) of a mural at the University of Concepción, Chile

CONCEPCION, CHILE.-Soon to be inaugurated next August, 2005 is a 3 story high (H: 12.4MT x W: 8.0MT) digital mural at the University of Concepción, Chile, where in an unprecedented manner; the artwork encompasses the history of Chilean mining from pre-Columbian period (c. 2.200 B.C.) to contemporary times.

The author, visual artist Alexander Sutulov, based his iconographic study in a thesis of how early metallurgical activity in the Andean world where the oldest evidence of work in copper was Mina Perdida near Lima, Peru during the Initial Period (2.000 – 900 B.C.) had a direct impact in the development of Chile as one of the mayor mining countries in the world. Contrary to common knowledge where gold and silver is usually associated to pre-Columbian cultures, it was not until a more complex metallurgy developed with the use of copper and its alloys allowed pre-Colombian civilization unfold to its full dimension. Paradoxically, today we are confronted to environmental issues where our empirical knowledge in copper production is a key aspect in finding viable solutions in clean technologies with by-products such as sulphuric acid in order to prevent a complete global collapse.

In this respect, the History of Chilean Mining Mural is a reminder of what lies ahead of us, where critical decisions have to be taken. Generally speaking, our historical relationship to the richness of a mineral world is of complete mystery to the majority of human population and yet our global economy and life quality are intimately related to this phenomenon.

The two sections of the mural regarding historical and mineral processes, brings forward the archetypes of each historical period such as the Bronze Age, Spanish Conquest, Colonial Period, Industrial Revolution, etc. In the case of mineral processes, the model of reference was “El Teniente” which is the biggest underground mine in the world today. With more than 3.000 kilometres of tunnels, the challenge was to convey the magnitude and complexity of such endeavour.

The legacy of mining history is one to be considered and foremost, reconciled in order to be able to confront an uncertain future of non-renewable natural resources. The work presented by Alexander who emerges from a digital language, constitutes a new genre in itself, where the established dialogue is a propositional one. All previous pictorial medium have been somehow synthesised onto an “electronic substrate” where the final result is the sum of simultaneous episodes. This sort of parallel thinking emphasises our own present nature, where “reality” is perpetually moving from tangible to virtual or visa versa. Most important is the idea of “imagery coexistence” which permeates throughout the telling of a story.

A sense of enthusiasm is perceived amongst the people who were directly or indirectly involved with the project, this notion of belonging is a positive sign at a time where cooperation is indispensable. The long-term objective is to make this experience extensive to the rest of the world through a travelling show and hopefully similar initiatives will be taken in other countries in terms of recognizing the power of art at the service of human achievement.

WEBWIRE – Monday, November 28, 2005

WEBWIRE – Monday, November 28, 2005

Art at the service of human achievement

Recently inaugurated History of Chilean Mining digital mural at the University of Concepción is an assertive discourse for the mining sector.

Long has been the notion to translate our thoughts into physical form so others may understand it. In spite of dramatic changes throughout human history and condemnation of pictorial language as far as the Iconoclast period (c. 730 A.D.) to Marcel Duchamp's epitaph of "dead painting" in the 20th century, mankind has prevailed in bringing forward its intrinsic condition of popular consensus. Such has been the result of recently inaugurated three story high digital mural at the University of Concepción, Metallurgical Engineering Department where in an unprecedented manner, visual artist Alexander Sutulov has synthesized the history of Chilean mining from pre-Colombian period to contemporary times. The reflection upon 4.000 years of mining history where the Bronze Age extended in pre-Hispanic culture until the arrival of the Spanish Conquistador in the new world, perpetuated a unique mining culture where copper predetermined the history of Chile and its breakthrough in the 19th century where the red metal as a thermal and electrical conductor constituted the soul of the Industrial Revolution.

We are not surprised to discover why a small country like Chile became the first producer of copper in the world in 1876 with 42% of world production and with the largest copper reserves until today, which amount to an outstanding 38% of global copper deposits. These facts together with the particular mining infrastructure of Chile lingered to long-term empirical knowledge has captivated a consensual view of how the mining industry and foremost, mining economy carries an enormous responsibility in terms of viable solutions to the future prospects of environmental issues.

Today we have created a niche for the mining world in the cultural arena through the discourse of digital art and most important, the idea of art at the service of human achievement. Long has been the alienation of epic history and heroic acts in a confrontational era such as modernism, nevertheless the lack of identity through the exacerbation of the mundane is paying a high cost when complete realities have submerged under the power of immediacy.

Not in vain has been the discourse of Alexander in the past 10 years where an underground world has astonishingly reemerged through the meaning of symbol and colour. The global community is invited to be participative and become each day more familiarized to hidden worlds which ultimately constitutes our safeguards to an uncertain future of ecological equilibrium. If we turn our backs to the fundamentals of human existence of how it has transformed the richness of nature in order to create a second nature, more difficult will be our task to understand the consequences and model our future existence.

In this regard, Alexander's mining mural opens a new window where our involvement as viewers of a complex reality becomes apprehensive and revealed not from a heroic or epic standing point, but from a human experience of censoring the governance of an underground world which affect our daily life's in every way possible. A tribute which cannot be taken for granted, on the contrary this are signs of awareness where human will and conviction must recapitulate in order to render the assertiveness of a sustainable life quality and our empathy with our surrounding which redefines our essential humanity.

WHY CHILE? ANACONDA MINING INC.

WHY CHILE? ANACONDA MINING INC.

History
Mining in Chile is an integral part of the country’s identity, and the tradition of metallurgy continues today.

Between 1820 and 1900, Chile produced 2 million tonnes of copper making it the leading producer and exporter of copper in the world at the time. Chile still retains its position as the world’s leading producer with more than 35% of the world’s share. Chile possesses the world’s largest copper reserves, at approximately 30%, and in 2005 alone, the country produced over 5 million tonnes of copper.

In 2005, a 3-storey high digital mural was inaugurated at the University of Concepción, Chile, illustrating the history of Chilean mining from the pre-Columbian period (c. 2200 B.C.), to contemporary times.

To view this mural online:
www.alexandersutulov.com

Mining today
Chile has maintained sound economic policies since the 1970s. Divested of the many state-owned mineral companies, the government's role is now limited mostly to regulation. The state continues to operate the copper giant Codelco but there are other large, international mining companies that now own assets in Chile.

Mining accounts for 14% of the country’s GDP and 45% of its exports (2005 est.). The country’s main copper deposit is Candelaria, which produces approximately 200,000 tonnes per year and is controlled by Phelps Dodge.

domingo, 11 de mayo de 2008

Colonial Chile / Chile Colonial

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Datos personales

Atelier Alexander Sutulov Sites

Mural Minero Universidad de Concepción

Archivo del blog

History of Chilean Mining Mural Installation

Chilean Mining Mural Historical Section

Chilean Mining Process Section

Artdaily.org: Chilean Mining Mural News

WEBWIRE – Monday, November 28, 2005

WHY CHILE? ANACONDA MINING INC.