Objects and Spaces of Perpetual Energy (K.H.O.N.) 2019: Project in Deserts in Southern Peru

Centuries ago, when concepts such as country, nation, and border did not exist, various wandering peoples shared adaptive community activities in order to perpetuate their existence, traditions, and culture.

To settle in small towns, it was essential to observe and deeply analyze the natural environment and its characteristics. Today we even talk about the invention of perpetual energy objects. Originating at almost 2000 meters high in the Andes, the underground rivers flow into the desert forming an irregular water table before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

The invention of “Puquios” made life possible. A reverse helical mathematical form able to absorb the rampant air of the desert and that naturally propels the underground flow. Recent research describes a hierarchical society, but where all artifacts were shared indiscriminately by the entire community.

“…Knowledge is transmitted in the form of myth, with the support of ritual and with material supports that serve to perform this ritual… the production of images and objects that we consider luxury today was not destined to increase the distance between the elite and the people… It is a stratified and hierarchical society, but not a class society… We must look for the parallels, the similarities, but also differences of other cultural universes. We have to find methodologies that allow us to understand the images, and also their archaeological contexts according to the concepts and rules with which they were conceived. In Nasca, the human dimension and the supernatural dimension are completely confused.” Krzysztof Makowski (August, 2017)

The Real and the Supernatural in the Paracas and Nasca Iconographies. “Kon”, also known as “Being Oculated”, represents for our cultures the origin of civilization. An invertebrate entity, cruel and punishing coming from the sea, which transformed the paradise into a desert and demanded bloody tributes to the inhabitants of its territory. The multiple representations in textiles, ceramics, and geoglyphs show us this unique cosmovision in South America, where the supernatural was part of all community activity. Kon was its creator and benefactor god.

Country/Region Peru

Presenting Organization RICARDO PALMA UNIVERSITY (URP), UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF LATIN AMERICA (UCAL), PONTIFICAL CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF PERU (PUCP) - SALA VEO 3D

Curator Laurin Leon

Artists Laurin Leon: Artistic object creator and exhibition designer

Team PRUSA RESEARCH / PRAGUE - CZECH REPUBLIC (Technology for 3D printing), ROBERT McNEEL & ASSOCIATES (Rhinoceros 6.0 / Grasshopper; Parametric modeling software), VYSTAVNICTVI PRAHA A. S. / PRAGUE - CZECH REPUBLIC (Structures, CNC fabrication and installation), ATELIER PERUVIAN DESIGN / LIMA - PERU (Steel supports), M. T. ARTWORKS (Production of arts and photography), GABRIEL GONZALES (Video edition), MARIELA VILLANUEVA (Mechatronic Systems), BETSY VIDAL & ALEJANDRO EGOCHEAGA (Production Assistants), HACIENDA MAJORO / NASCA - PERU (Lodgement, location)