Abstract

LOPEZ PEREZ, José Alejandro. Reflections from the Shadows: Forced Disappearance in Colombia and the Play Relatos Nebulosos. Antipod. Rev. Antropol. Arqueol. [online]. 2023, n.52, pp.117-142.  Epub July 27, 2023. ISSN 1900-5407.  https://doi.org/10.7440/antipoda52.2023.05.

In 2019, I directed the installation-performance Relatos Nebulosos (RN), featuring relatives of forcibly disappeared individuals in Colombia. In this article, I explore the artistic visibility of these victims, who demonstrate resilience and demand justice, while also contributing to the critical discourse surrounding their struggle. To do so, I establish three key aspects. Firstly, I provide contextualization by sharing the stories of the RN protagonists, offering insights into the regions they refer to and conveying the profound impact of disappearance on their families, who grapple with the uncertainty surrounding their loved ones’ whereabouts. Secondly, I delve into the ethical dimension of the project, witnessing how the protagonists meticulously construct a documentary narrative that relies on their own bodies, simultaneously navigating a complex emotional relationship with the documents associated with this process-expressing affection towards photographs and disdain for bureaucratic paperwork. Lastly, I highlight the significance of art in granting a voice to the victims, outlining my endeavors to create new avenues of expression by reimagining the daily lives of the RN protagonists through a montage, while drawing metaphors between the tangible elements of the artwork and the elusive nature of forced disappearance. Ultimately, this article concludes that RN thrives on the improbable, enabling art to give form to the uncertainty experienced by these families and drive social strategies that facilitate the search for the missing, leading to a sense of inner peace for their loved ones. It also asserts that both academic and non-academic realms have the potential to contribute to a world where this heinous crime is combated. The article’s uniqueness lies in revealing the behind-the-scenes of the creative process behind RN, analyzing the reconfiguration of the everyday experiences of the relatives into a performative installation and examining their interaction with bureaucratic formats related to disappearance.

Keywords : Armed conflict in Colombia; documentary; forced disappearance; installation; performance; victims’ visibilization.

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