Huacherías: stories and portraits for a life-in-common

Abstract

Examining the work of Chilean artist Juan Castillo, this article explores the relations between artistic writing and community in the context of globalization’s movements in contemporary culture. Specifically, based on the notion of huacherías, term coined by Castillo, that refers to a series of exhibitions in 2015 and 2016. The proposal is based in recognizing the artistic strategies that make possible a collective and collaborative work that dilutes the traditional idea of the author, and thus provides a channel of expression and communication to communities without an aesthetic or a political representation. Finally, the paper argues on the value of new ways of naming and referring to collaborative processes within heterogeneous communities, beyond the inherited academic codifications, highlighting the effectiveness of move and translating concepts from art field to cultural theory.