Jaroslava Šnajberková
Universidade do Algarve, Universidade Aberta
All art projects have a trigger, an internal event (from a neuropsychological perspective), an external event (triggered by external stimuli), or a combination of both. (Veiga, 2020, p. 102)
When unexpected events and changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focused on the initial lockdown in 2020 and the subsequent mass vaccination efforts in 2021, the discrimination against those who refused to be vaccinated added another layer to the complexity of the situation. It is understandable that such significant and rapid changes can be challenging to process and evaluate in the moment. Taking time to gain distance and perspective is crucial for a more objective analysis of the situation. Despite the demands and strain on the psyche, I found the experience to be fruitful and enriching. Individual experiences during the pandemic varied widely, and people faced different challenges and opportunities. My perspective sheds light on the personal growth and lessons learned from being on the side that experienced discrimination, offering a unique viewpoint on a global event that affected people in diverse ways. Comparison to a time when my country was under communism triggered reflections on broader social and political dynamics. I faced internal struggle in the midst of societal pressure and these months were marked by a range of difficult emotions and situations. The external pressures, including potential humiliation, strained relationships, job concerns, and the feeling of exile, added significant stress to an already demanding situation.
That time I talked to my friend in Colombia and looked for understanding from across the world. I confided in him my feelings and fears. I complained about the society that allowed this. But instead of soothing my feelings he told me something from the Kogui That time I talked to my friend in Colombia and looked for understanding from across the world. I confided in him my feelings and fears. I complained about the society that allowed this. But instead of soothing my feelings he told me something from the Kogui community which was particularly powerful. The notion that life should be a celebration rather than a source of suffering carries deep philosophical and cultural implications. It serves as a poignant reminder to reassess priorities and values, especially in the face of external pressures. It prompts reflection on the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of external expectations. The realization triggered by my colleague’s words have sparked a shift in perspective and a deeper understanding of my own values and priorities, and what I wanted to tell through my work (Šnajberková, On a Story, 2023). To reach people by that message rather emotionally than intellectually, and thus to connect with them around that subject on a different level (Leavy, 2018, p. 431).
But the trigger was not just a friend’s remark, which determined the direction to go along the path of the Kággaba project (Šnajberková, Personal narratives – part 6, 2023). It was also the first year of doctoral studies (Šnajberková, ARTS-BASED RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT, 2023) and the beginning of an analytical and educational approach to an artistic project that would combine the basic elements of scientific inquiry: the human mind’s capacity for significance recognition, a recognized, logical corpus of knowledge, and the eagerness to acquire knowledge (Hockings, 2003, p. 152). The combination of the creator’s spontaneous and analytical approach created an awareness of two different sources that supply the artistic project. Since making art does not always equate to conducting research. Making art and calling it research is not the goal. Methodology is necessary for research since it takes into account both a way of making art and philosophy. Despite the fact that art itself can be incorporated into study (Leavy, 2018, p. 427).
The study started with fieldwork (Šnajberková, Field work 2019, 2022), during which I was invited by young Colombian students of ethnography, who were collecting material for their final university theses in the Sierra Nevada. They also introduced me to a collection of photographs by Gustaf Bolinder and their impact on Arhuaco community in the past (Šnajberková, Moving pictures, 2022) and the principle of reciprocity as a way of approaching people in the communities (Šnajberková, The Gift, 2022). It was important to understand the concept of thinking related to the communities in the Sierra Nevada (Šnajberková, The Inflated Jungle movie, 2022).
Although I used until then a digressive search to make it possible deliberately to impregnate the visual sample with information yet to be discovered (Hockings, 2003, p. 153), which have offered a more dynamic and flexible way of engaging with the study’s subject matter, during this fieldwork I used opportunistic sampling technique that involves letting the day’s events flow through and connecting with them on a personal level, spotting when “something” was about to happen and acting on that intuition without following a predetermined plan (Hockings, 2003, p. 149). I also kept ethnographic notes on the content and visual concept of individual images (Collier & Collier, 1986).
We never start at zero, and it’s a mistake to think we create something from nothing. We are always drawing from repositories of words, images, and meanings that already exist. (Duncombe & Lambert, 2021, p. 104)
If everything has a sequential development and its predecessors, moments or triggers that caused us to do what we are doing now, the Kággaba project probably did not even start a few years ago, as I believe, but much earlier. Its development likely involves a series of influences, events, and inspirations that have shaped its trajectory over time. The evolution of a project can be influenced by various factors, including technological advancements, societal changes, personal experiences, and the collaborative efforts of individuals or teams. The development of an idea into a prIf everything has a sequential development and its predecessors, moments or triggers that caused us to do what we are doing now, the Kággaba project probably did not even start a few years ago, as I believe, but much earlier. Its development likely involves a series of influences, events (Šnajberková, History – Kággaba Masks in Berlin, 2022), and inspirations that have shaped its trajectory over time. The evolution of a project can be influenced by various factors, including technological advancements, societal changes, personal experiences (Šnajberková, Traditional Work, 2023), and the collaborative efforts of individuals or teams (Šnajberková, Personal narratives – part 2, 2023). The development of an idea into a project is rarely a linear process and is often shaped by a complex interplay of factors. However, what triggered the decision to create an art project and subsequently research it as well as communities in the Sierra Nevada was the moment I was sitting on a plane returning to Europe after my first visit to the community of Arhuaco (Šnajberková, Photography in time and space, 2022). I could not believe it, even though barely a few hours had passed since our last meeting, as I later wrote in my diary, that such people exist and living with them is like magic. I felt a great sense of gratitude for the fact that I was taking home a lot of exposed film to believe that I had experienced this. Because ,the effect of photography on me is not that it restores something canceled (by time or distance), but that it testifies: what I see really was’ (Barthes, 2005, p. 78).
References
Barthes, R. (2005, first published 1980). Světlá komora (La chambre claire. Note Sur la photographie). Agite/Fra. Translation in the text by Jaroslava Šnajberková.
Collier, J. & Collier, M. (1986). Visual Anthropology: Photography as a Research Method. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.
Duncombe, S. & Lambert, S. (2021). The Art of Activism. OR Books.
Hockings, P. (2003, first published 1974). Principles of Visual Anthropology. Mouton de Gruyter.
Leavy, P. (2018). Handbook of Arts-Based Research. The Guilford Press.
Šnajberková, J. (2019). Diário Digital de Bordo.https://fromtheheartoftheworld.wordpress.com/2023/03/09/17-1-2022/
Veiga, P. (2020). O museu de tudo em qualquer parte: arte e cultura digital: interferir e curar. CIAC-UAb – Centro de Investigação em Artes e Comunicação, Polo da Universidade Aberta. Translation in the text by Jaroslava Šnajberková.
Text and photography @ Jaroslava Šnajberková
Diário Digital de Bordo 