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.

¡Todos somos parte de la naturaleza y debemos proteger y apreciar toda la naturaleza!

«Aunque tú y yo estemos en botes diferentes, tú en tu bote y nosotros en nuestra canoa, compartimos el mismo río de vida. Lo que me pasa a mi te pasa a ti. Y río abajo, río abajo en este … Continue reading →

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Todos nós fazemos parte da natureza e devemos proteger e cuidar de toda a natureza!

« Mesmo que você e eu estejamos em barcos diferentes, você no seu barco e nós na nossa canoa, compartilhamos o mesmo rio da vida. O que acontece comigo, acontece com você. E rio abaixo, rio abaixo neste rio da … Continue reading →

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Nous faisons tous partie de la nature et nous devons protéger et chérir toute la nature!

« Même si vous et moi sommes dans des bateaux différents, vous dans votre bateau et nous notre canoë, nous partageons le même fleuve de la vie. Ce qui m’arrive vous arrive. Et en aval, en aval dans ce fleuve … Continue reading →

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We are All part of Nature and we must protect and cherish All of Nature!

« Even though you and I are in different boats, you in your boat and we in our canoe, we share the same river of life. What befalls me befalls you. And downstream, downstream in this river of life, our … Continue reading →

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La Fondazione Cartier incarna la pratica insidiosa di utilizzare una fondazione “artistica” per indurre il pubblico a credere che la sua merce e il suo modello di business siano in realtà l’opposto del suo vero rapporto con la natura e gli interessi dei popoli indigeni…

Le aziende che affermano di essere “generosità disinteressata” mentre “sponsorizzano” le popolazioni indigene e la biosfera che il loro modello di business distrugge sono dubbie … così come le ONG e altri che le sanzionano. Cartier è l’unica azienda di … Continue reading →

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La Fundación Cartier encarna la práctica insidiosa de utilizar una fundación “artística” para seducir al público, haciéndoles creer que su mercancía y su modelo de negocio son en realidad lo contrario de su verdadera relación con la naturaleza y los intereses de los pueblos indígenas…

Las empresas que dicen tener “generosidad desinteresada” mientras “patrocinan” a los pueblos indígenas y la biosfera que su modelo de negocio destruye son dudosas … al igual que las ONG y otras que las sancionan. Cartier es la única empresa … Continue reading →

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A Fundação Cartier encarna a prática insidiosa de usar uma fundação “artística” para seduzir o público, fazendo-o acreditar que sua mercadoria e seu modelo de negócio são na realidade o oposto de sua verdadeira relação com a natureza e os interesses das povos indígenas …

As empresas que afirmam ter “generosidade abnegada” enquanto “patrocinam” povos indígenas e a biosfera que seu modelo de negócios destrói são duvidosas … assim como as ONGs e outros que as sancionam. A Cartier é a única empresa de artigos … Continue reading →

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La Fondation Cartier incarne la pratique insidieuse d’utiliser une fondation “artistique” pour séduire le public en lui faisant croire que sa marchandise et son modèle d’affaires sont en réalité le contraire de sa véritable relation avec la nature et les intérêts des peuples indigènes…

Les entreprises qui prétendent avoir une “générosité désintéressée” tout en “parrainant” les populations indigènes et les biosphères que leur modèle d’affaires détruit sont douteuses… tout comme les ONG et d’autres qui les sanctionnent. Cartier est la seule société de produits … Continue reading →

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The Cartier Foundation epitomizes the insidious practice of using an “art” foundation to seduce the public into believing that its merchandise and business model is actually the opposite of its true relationship with nature and indigenous peoples’ interests…

Corporations pretending to have “disinterested generosity” while “sponsoring” the very indigenous people & biospheres their business model destroys are dubious…as are the NGOs and others enabling them. Cartier is the only luxury goods corporation using the Yanomami as spokesmen (salesmen?) … Continue reading →

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Ti stai decorando con l’oro? … « La foresta sta sanguinando, lo sento nel mio cuore. »

« I minatori d’oro versano più mercurio avvelenato sulla terra del peso dell’oro che portano via. Sono come morti viventi, ricoperti di fango dorato. » cacique Raoni Metuktire SI PREGA DI NON ACQUISTARE O USARE ORO! Fino al 75% dell’oro estratto … Continue reading →

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