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.

Aim for the Stomach — Mother Jones

This piece was originally published by Capital & Main. The writer Upton Sinclair once famously said, upon the reaction to his classic exposé of the slaughterhouse industry, The Jungle, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the … Continue reading

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EU SOU O CLIMA – 2023 – NEMOURS A FLORESTA ESTÁ QUEIMANDO! O RIO ESTÁ SECO!

Exposição de 25 de novembro a 15 de dezembro de 2023 Organizei uma exposição de arte climática no decorrer « Conferência das Nações Unidas das Partes sobre Mudanças Climáticas » todos os anos desde 2015. « Estamos perdendo nossa guerra suicida … Continue reading

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Greta Thunberg says, “Enough is enough!” — Ned Hamson’s Second Line View of the News

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. Me, Just now† I received an email today, imploring me to sign yet … Greta Thunberg says, “Enough is enough!” Greta Thunberg says, “Enough is … Continue reading

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JE SUIS LE CLIMAT – 2023 – NEMOURS – LA FORÊT BRÛLE ! LA RIVIÈRE EST À SEC !

Exposition du 25 novembre au 15 décembre 2023 J’ai organisé une exposition d’art sur le climat lors de la « Conférence des Parties sur le changement climatique des Nations Unies » chaque année depuis 2015. « Nous sommes en train de … Continue reading

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Chapter 3: Responsible Fashion: The key to slow down Fast Fashion — Live a Little More

“When I shop, the world gets better, and the world is better, but then it’s not, and I need to do it again. ” – Rebecca Bloomwood (Confessions of a Shopaholic) Ever since the rise of Fast Fashion, the essence … Continue reading

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I AM THE CLIMATE – 2023 – NEMOURS – THE FOREST IS BURNING! THE RIVER IS DRY!

Exhibition during COP28 from 25 November – 15 December 2023 I’ve organized a climate-related art exhibition during the « UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties » every year since 2015. « We are losing our suicidal war against nature » said UN … Continue reading

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Victors’ History Reconsidered? — Organikos

Yesterday, in a post about one type of spoils of victory, we shared some reading about responsibilities. Today, in a discussion of the book Indigenous Continent, we consider a different type of spoil of victory. The accepted wisdom that history … Continue reading

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Una storia di Natale da leggere prima di fare la lista dei regali: In « Utopia » di Tommaso Moro, pubblicata nel 1516, l’oro e le pietre preziose non hanno valore. Infatti, portano il peso del sangue, della schiavitù e della follia umana – L’ARTE DEL LAVAGGIO VERDE dei COMMERCIANTI D’ORO con le loro stesse parole…

Cosa sceglierai? Il negozio Cartier vendono gioielli, orologi e accessori di lusso esclusivi in ​​oro e diamanti dal 1847 – foto: Cartier “Le cose vanno male dal 2015, quando il prezzo dell’oro ha iniziato a salire. La vita degli Yanomami … Continue reading

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Why are we still cutting down “Christmas Trees” that Destroy Habitat for Wildlife? – Please create new traditions to replace this life-destroying custom!

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled its “Rockefeller” the Owl bobble head on Friday after the adorable little owl was found in the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree earlier this week. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum will be … Continue reading

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Una historia navideña para leer antes de hacer su lista de regalos: En la « Utopía » de Tomás Moro, publicada en 1516, el oro y las piedras preciosas no tienen valor. De hecho, soportan el peso de la sangre, la esclavitud y la locura humana – el ARTE del LAVADO VERDE por parte de los COMERCIANTES del ORO en sus propias palabras

¿Qué vas a elegir?  Las tiendas Cartier venden joyas, relojes y accesorios de lujo exclusivos en oro y diamantes desde 1847 – foto: Cartier “Las cosas han ido mal desde 2015, cuando el precio del oro empezó a subir. La vida de los … Continue reading

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