Author Archives: Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

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About Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

I'm a French artist living near Paris. From 1968 to 1973 I studied at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, then at the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, California, for my BFA. My work for many decades has been informed and inspired by time spent with indigenous communities. Various study trips devoted to the exploration of techniques and natural pigments took me originally to the Dogon of Mali, West Africa, and subsequently to Yanomami communities in Venezuela and Brazil. Over many years, during the winters, I studied the techniques of traditional Bogolan painting. Hand woven fabric is dyed with boiled bark from the Wolo tree or crushed leaves from other trees, then painted with mud from the Niger river which oxidizes in contact with the dye. Through the Dogon and the Yanomami, my interest in the multiplicity of techniques and supports for aesthetic expression influenced my artistic practice. The voyages to the Amazon Rainforest have informed several series of paintings created while living among the Yanomami. The support used is roughly woven canvas prepared with acrylic medium then textured with a mixture of sand from the river bank and lava. This supple canvas is then rolled and transported on expeditions into the forest. They are then painted using a mixture of acrylic colors and Achiote and Genipap, the vegetal pigments used by the Yanomami for their ritual body paintings and on practical and shamanic implements. My concern for the ongoing devastation of the Amazon Rainforest has inspired my films and installation projects. Since 2005, I've created a perfomance and film project - Fire Sculpture - to bring urgent attention to Rainforest issues. To protest against the continuing destruction, I've publicly set fire to my totemic sculptures. These burning sculptures symbolize the degradation of nature and the annihilation of indigenous cultures that depend on the forest for their survival.

« Nossos espíritos xapiri estão muito preocupados em ver a terra virar fantasma » — Mágica Mistura

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Publicado originalmente em Barbara Crane Navarro: «Nossa floresta ainda é linda … enraizada no centro do céu antigo.Além da floresta, o território dos brancos que nos cerca é constituído apenas de terras feridas de onde vêm os fumos epidêmicos … … Continue reading →

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PLEASE LISTEN TO THE YANOMAMI SHAMAN’S MESSAGE – THE PLEA OF THE RAINFOREST! – And discover how we can help Indigenous peoples!

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

photo: Renato Soares « Hey – Look at me We see you We tried to show you You never bothered to learn our language You were always looking down We’ve been warning you since the beginning The land is alive … Continue reading →

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El Valor del Oro que tanto codician

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Como dice el portavoz Yanomami Davi Kopenawa en su libro “La caída del cielo”: “Cuando un ser humano muere, su fantasma no lleva ninguno de sus bienes a la espalda del cielo, incluso si es muy codicioso. Las cosas que hizo … Continue reading →

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The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous Peoples and Wildlife in Peril! – a series of short films by Barbara Crane Navarro – 10 – « Yanomami children and their community in the Amazon Rainforest » 13:16

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

A film of instants of daily life of a Yanomami community in the Amazon Rainforest of Venezuela made to accompany the children’s book series: “Amazon Rainforest Magic” “La Magie de l’Amazonie” and “La Magia de la Amazonia” for ages 8 … Continue reading →

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Education Is a Key Lifeline for World’s Forests! — HUMAN WRONGS WATCH

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Human Wrongs Watch New survey points out that forest education must be strengthened to meet global challenges Forestry education needs to be improved, according to new survey. ROME, 24 June 2021 (FAO)* – Forest education at all levels – from … Continue reading →

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The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous Peoples and Wildlife in Peril! – a series of short films by Barbara Crane Navarro – 9 – « Yanomami boy’s surprise friend in the jungle! » :38 seconds of Magic!

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Sometimes we miss the most beautiful moments-DON’T MISS THIS ONE!With Namowë, a Yanomami boy in the Alto Orinoco region, Amazonas, Venezuela in his canoe! It’s an excerpt of my film of instants of the daily life of a Yanomami community … Continue reading →

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Passé et présent des Amérindiens d’Amazonie — DR livres et publications

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

En plus d’une histoire générale des territoires du bassin de l’Amazone, mon livre sur les peuples autochtones d’Amazonie présente chacune des tribus, son combat particulier pour défendre son territoire, son origine, sa langue, sa culture, son histoire. Ces indigènes mènent … Continue reading →

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The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous Peoples and Wildlife in Peril! – a series of short films by Barbara Crane Navarro – 8 – « Totemic Light Sculptures II – Yanomami shamanic chants – Mixed media art installation » 1:19

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Yanomami shaman struggle against xawara – the smoke of epidemics – art installation with sounds of many Yanomami shaman chanting to protect the community! The Yanomami shaman who fight the xawara epidemic diseases see their image appear in the form … Continue reading →

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Monkey minds: what we can learn from primate personality — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Carla Litchfield, University of South Australia Every human is different. Some are outgoing, while others are reserved and shy. Some are focused and diligent, while others are haphazard and unfussed. Some people are curious, others avoid novelty and enjoy their … Continue reading →

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The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous Peoples and Wildlife in Peril! – a series of short films by Barbara Crane Navarro – 7 – « Totemic Light Sculptures – Yanomami shamanic chants – Mixed media art installation I » :49

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Yanomami shaman struggle against xawara – the smoke of epidemics – art installation with sounds of many Yanomami shaman chanting to protect the community! The Yanomami shaman who fight the xawara epidemic diseases see their image appear in the form … Continue reading →

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