Los Ecos del Cariño
Los Ecos del Cariño (The Echoes of Affection) is a long-term project started in 2021 that reclaims native and endemic orchids and other pollinator plants as sacred manifestations in service to the health and wellbeing of the people of San José del Pacífico, Oaxaca. The final result will be a living, growing exhibition of orchids, cultivated in their natural environment, accompanied by local flora that is nutrient-dense and high in medicinal value.
The images below are speculative composite sketches that mix photographs I've taken of the garden with AI-generated orchids and medicinal plants.
Los Ecos del Cariño serves as a rejection of extractive consumption and will contribute to Los Árboles que Llaman el Água’s reforestation model by exemplifying a reciprocal relationship with the environment and this community. San José del Pacífico has recently chosen the phrase, “La Tierra Sagrada (Sacred Land)” for the town’s central mural in an effort to shift the tourism dynamics of the community, as the town is currently known as a destination for psychedelic tourism due to the prevalence of medicinal fungus and plants. My hope for this project is to inspire collective stewardship of and respect for the mountain range’s natural resources, to provide a robust platform for the community through thoughtful collaboration on the design, production, and interpretation of the exhibition, and to educate visitors and future generations about the histories of this land and its people.