2014 - 2018
“I believe there are many professional politicians who are actually representations, because they do not really make politics. They do everything that surrounds and accompanies changing the world without actually doing it and I think we have become somewhat used to that type of politician-bureaucrat or politician-celebrity or politician who does not believe in politics any more, but just in being elected. We have become used to the representation of things.”
Tania Bruguera.
The consequences of some historical facts can only be perceived afterwards. The instances of agreement and empathy lie beyond the perceptible framing of immediacy. Without any doubt February 2014 will remain as a historical seizure in the Venezuelan political scenario. The February 12th’s demonstration is an inevitable reference, since it defined a critical instance of social tension after three people were killed, therefore unleashing a momentary social breakdown -as a chain reaction- leading to several student demonstrations in different regions all throughout the country.
In such a scenario, because of two days of extreme violence in the main Venezuelan cities, and amid an almost absolute silence in media, while chatting –precisely, online- with some artists, a series of questions arose: how does ethical reasoning works in media? Can an autonomous digital media affect political propaganda? The need for an alternative space became urgent. Within this frame, we decided to start a Facebook group aiming towards the creation of an alternative communicational scope. Its explicit purpose was the creation of an environment in which silenced voices could be heard, while contributing, debating and, primarily, creating visual content able to confront the information –or lack of it- displayed in media and the reality of everyday life in the streets. We called this space La Meta es Desmontar la Simulación (The goal is to dismantle the simulation)
Dismantling the simulation is an initiative of participatory visual activism. It was born as an experimental Facebook group La Meta es Desmontar la Simulacion, and Tumblr Gallery a few days after diverse violations of Human Rights occurred on the student protests against Nicolas Maduro in February 2014. Appropriating the already existing social platform, deconstructing the overwhelming reality, assuming a critical posture towards institutionalized media content. Its structure operates rhizomatically, with no controls or hierarchies involved in the decision make it by the members of the group.
La Meta (dismantling the simulation)is born, then, as an experimental 2.0 platform. It appropriates the already existing social platform and subverts in order to deconstruct visual production, assuming a critical posture confronting the institutionalized media content. Its production operates horizontally, with no controls nor hierarchies. In short, it is a collective rebel action that seeks to question and dismantle the discourses and the information distribution schemes operating in Venezuela.
A year has passed, marked by increasing discontent with a corrupt and shameless management, fueled by social resentment that results in excessive violence, in the context of a complex political and social crisis. The founding members of La Meta want to revindicate visual action as the flashpoint for reflection and future social-cultural movements. That is why we have prepared this online show, with a selection of the best creative contents in our group. This exhibition intends to display an alternative Venezuelan contemporary history, while answering the following three basic questions: how is Venezuelan daily life beyond propaganda? What does it means to be a Venezuelan –or living in Venezuela- nowadays? How does Venezuela looks like?
Helena Acosta
Dismantling Curation: https://dismantlingsimulation.tumblr.com/
Original Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lametaesdesmontarlasimulacion