Re: [-empyre-] Curatorial Dynamics

[Eduardo Navas <eduardo@navasse.net>]

Here I am about to eat my own words, and write yet another e-mail.  But only
because Raul has said something that is extremely important.  My comment
follows below.

On 4/27/05 2:08 PM, "Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet"
<rfbalanquet@cartodigital.org> wrote:

> Dear Members, amigos de la lista;
> 
> 
> When I was asked to bring issues relating to Arte Nuevo InteractivA
> to this list, I was expecting to create an interdisciplinary
> dialogue, rich as the one that was taking earlier in the month. So
> far, the responses had been a few and in the last few days I have
> begun to question the dynamics of the list.
> 
> I had been involved in electronic lists for a long time and
> understand that there, as well as in the physical world, there is a
> diverse population, interested in many issues and make presence
> according to their personal interests. As I said before, for me
> silence is also writing, therefore I can assume that what is been
> writing here is an ambivalent discourse that had place the list in an
> alert situation. If that is the case, power to all.
> 
<--snip-->
> Perhaps as Said and Rocha have argued before, the written silence in
> this list is a proof of the absence of knowledge about our cultural
> production or an uncanny manifestation of the peripheral condition in
> which some people still want to place our cultures. I want to believe
> that the silence is a written code transgressing all territories,
> empowering each of us as we find new ways of co-exist along the
> cosmic energies.
> 
> Abrazotes to all,
> 
> Raul

After my last e-mail, people on the list understand that Raul and I have
different perspectives about the diversity and difference throughout Latin
America.  But this has not stopped us from working together when possible.
This should also make it clear that my respect often runs quite deeply for
those with whom I disagree, partly because I have to understand my
motivations to reach such decision.

And Raul's last e-mail touches on an important point that I could not place
my finger on.  The truth is that we have two threads going on here, and some
of us have tried to be combine the topics, but it has not worked out that
well.  Part of the reason may have to do with the reasons behind the silence
that Raul mentions.  It might be that people on the list don't know much
about Latin American History, or simply do not care.  I honestly hope I am
wrong on the last one, but it is nevertheless a possibility that would be
quite problematic.  I hope I get reprimanded on this and proven wrong.

I would like to invite people on the list to speak up more specifically on
why there is such a silence.  One person already did, but I do think that
this is a dynamic that plays up not to far off from Spivak's position I
previously described.  How can subjects who constantly rewrite their
autobiographies approached?  Silence may be the answer...

Thoughts, reproaches--but hopefully approaches are the hopes for this
message.  We have until Sunday, so I do hope others join in.

Raul's e-mail made me realize what this discussion is about, no matter how
busy we may all be.  So after saying goodbye less than 24 hours agod, I am
now admitting to be active on the list until the end of the week.

Eduardo Navas