Empirescapes
© Juan Fabuel
year: 2018 - ongoing
technique: photography and porcelain
sizes: 26,4 x 37,3 cm - 18,7 x 26,4 cm - variable dimensions
Inspired by questions about the relationship between landscape, the construction of collective identity, and power, I have undertaken an artistic research of the use, perception, and symbolism of porcelain.
Porcelain—a traditional white ceramic—carries with it an aura of exclusivity and magic that is undeniable. However, when viewed through a historical and archaeological lens, specifically with an eye on empires as a distinct form of political organization, porcelain becomes more than just a beautiful material. It reveals itself as a blank canvas that has often been used to serve political and economic purposes. John Barrell's notion of the "dark part of the landscape" allows us to sense the moral, political, and often hidden dimensions of these representations, acting as an ideological counterpoint to the purity and transparency typically associated with porcelain’s whiteness.
This historical duality of porcelain—anchored in everyday objects, its subtle role in colonial processes, and the use of landscape imagery as a tool of influence—has led me to develop an intermedial project where installation and visual art play a central role.
To engage with issues of loss and preservation in the context of globalization, I have used these mediums to represent the endemic flora of former colonies. My intention is to create works that evoke an emotional response, sparking a dialogue about porcelain, landscape, sustainability, and ideology.
Empirescapes suggests a multidisciplinary approach in which anthropology, art, archeology and craftsmanship are hybridized to relocate concepts such as landscape, materiality and symbol. Its purpose revolves around the notions of empire and colonialism, the reproduction of ceramics from those historical periods, and the ways in which landscapes were used to reinforce power and shape visual narratives.
Additionally, the project addresses issues related to the reliability of the photographic medium, the appropriation of images, and the creation of a collective imaginary, based on the premeditated construction of identity and memory.
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