Variations H-KÑR. Artistic projet around the kañaris axis

Abstract

Variations H-KÑR is an artistic project around the Kañaris axes –a metal object from some pre-Columbian cultures in the Andean part, especially the Kañari culture–. After an iconographic and interpretative study, some hypotheses arose about the utilitarian and symbolic functions of the ax –also called tumi or ceremonial knife– that implicitly comprise a cultural dimension. The Kañari culture, which did not written documentation, left in its objects, the case of the axes, significant elements that invite us to a reading and above all to an artistic experimentation. The production of tableaux vivants, an audio-visual triptych regarding three possible uses (ritual, medicinal and warlike) forms part of the proposal. Another cardinal component of the project are the artistic variations which is built from a commissioner of works to local artists. In this way, this project proposes an encounter between cultures (native peoples and current artistic culture) is fostered to reflect on knowledge and techniques, ways of doing and thinking about particular universes through art.

Keywords: artistic projet, Kañairs axis, artistic, tableaux vivant, variations.