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Grant Recipient

Clay harvest at Camp Tabonuco in Jayuya. (February 2018).

Photo courtesy of the artist.

Amara Abdal Figueroa & Braulio Quintero Nazario

Materials–Based Research Grant

2019

Tierrafiltra

After the 2017 hurricanes, Puerto Rico’s water insecurity was widely exposed. As an island abundant in clay and water with an unreliable electrical system, tierrafiltra is addressing the island’s water quality by producing filters out of locally sourced clay. Tierrafiltra evaluates our current water inconveniences being filtration at point of use to investigating why water resources in our landscape are not longer of its cohabitants. Documentation exists throughout material tests and into social sciences coiling arts, architecture, living archeology and ecology.

Amara is an agro ceramist, artist and environmental advocate. Co-founder of Maati, a design-build ceramic studio with a downdraft wood kiln at Campos de Gutiérrez, Medellín; has facilitated and worked projects like The Outlawed Earth, for Forensic Architecture as an interpreter for Afro-colombian and indigenous farmers in Cauca, Colombia. Braulio A. Quintero, PhD Has doctoral degree from State University of New York- College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY. on Environmental Science. He focused on time series analysis of the energy-economy nexus of Puerto Rico. Braulio, has been involved in the Playa Reverdece project in Ponce. His research interest include topics in agroecology, green infrastructure, and community resiliency

Bio of the Artist

Organization Background

After the 2017 hurricanes, Puerto Rico’s water insecurity was widely exposed. As an island abundant in clay and water with an unreliable electrical system, tierrafiltra is addressing the island’s water quality by producing filters out of locally sourced clay. Analyzing local clay bodies is conducted in parallel to the construction of a network of wood and gas fueled kilns. Collaborations with scientists will allow us to evaluate the microbiological effectivity of the water passing through different clay: combustible recipes. Tierrafiltra evaluates our current water inconveniences being filtration at point of use to investigating why water resources in our landscape are not longer of its cohabitants. Documentation exists throughout material tests and into social sciences coiling arts, architecture, living archeology and ecology.

En Español

Después de los huracanes del 2017, Irma y María, la inseguridad del agua fue expuesta. Como una isla abundante en arcilla y agua con un sistema eléctrico precario, tierrafiltra está abordando la calidad del agua de la isla mediante la producción de filtros con recursos locales. El estudio de tipos de arcilla y sus recetas óptimas para la filtración de agua se realiza en paralelo a la construcción de una red de hornos alimentados con madera y gas. Colaboraciones con científicos nos permitirán evaluar la efectividad microbiológica del agua que pasa a través de diferentes proporciones de arcillas:combustibles.

Al interpretar técnicas ancestrales y las tecnologías de libre acceso, tierrafiltra pretende contribuir a las alternativas viables, por ejemplo el barro que nos rodea, para reducir la dependencia de materiales, equipo importado y altos costos operacionales. Esto implica visualizar nuestre paisaje como fuente primaria. Este proyecto que es microscópico y espacial, técnico y social, también investiga nuestra relación con el agua en el paisaje para mejor entender las barreras entre nosotres. Documentación fotográfica es continuo en el proceso de estudio material entrelazando éste con las artes, la arquitectura, ancestrología y ecología.

Location

Puerto Rico

EDUCATION

SPECIALIZATION

Tierrafiltra

Institution

Grant amount

$7,500

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