Magdalena Correa Larrain

Magdalena Correa Larrain - From the Suiti series

Artist Biography: Magdalena Correa Larraín is a Chilean contemporary artist, born in Santiago in 1968. She received her BA in Fine Arts with a mention in Print at the Catholic University of Chile, where she began to develop her interest in photographic and video research on isolated and extreme territories where man dwells.After her initial training, Magdalena continued her academic education and obtained her PhD in photography and video from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, accredited by ANECA. Magdalena has been a member of the Research Line "Applications to Audiovisual and Multimedia Systems" at the Engineering Department of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, in Barcelona. Currently, she teaches in the Fine Arts Degree at the Antonio de Nebrija University, where she specializes in photographic and video research on isolated and extreme territories, where she explores themes related to identity, memory and the relationship of man with the natural and social environment. Some of his most outstanding projects include "Austral" (2006), about the XI Region of Aysén in Southern Chile; "La Desaparición" (2008), about the Gobi deserts in China and Mongolia and the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile; "Níveo" (2011), about the Chilean village Villa Las Estrellas, located in Antarctica; "La Rinconada" (2013), about the highest gold mine in the world, located at 5.600 meters above sea level, in the Ananea District, Peru; "Luxury has a new Address" (2014), about the wealth and ostentation of Kuwaiti society; "Wayúu" (2015), about the Wayúu ethnic group located in the desert of Alta Guajira, Colombia; and "Suiti" (2018), about the Suiti culture (intangible heritage of Unesco in danger of extinction), located in Alsunga, Latvia.With a prolific and recognized career, Magdalena Correa Larraín is one of Chile's most outstanding contemporary artists, who through her projects seeks to explore the relationship between human beings and their environment, generating deep and original reflections on identity and memory.

 

In 2017 I lived with a people isolated by their religious beliefs. I am referring to the Suiti people, located in and around the town of Alsunga, in the western part of Latvia, a culture that has been named a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage. The self-isolation suffered by the Suiti people has contributed to preserve their traditional customs, such as their own national costume, their own dialect, more than 52 thousand recorded folk songs, etc., history and tradition of more than 400 years. However, today the Suiti culture is in danger of extinction. (Magdalena Correa)