The Collection

Save the Renaico River 

documentary

In the film we hear the testimonies of Carmen Gloria Morales, also known as Aunt Panchita, as well as Adolfo: both of them are residents of Renaico who have a special connection to the river. Members of the “Save the Renaico River Collective” organization also speak, in the documentary, about their different community-based projects, and they present their research—the product of two years of work—about the reasons that the river has reached such low levels. The documentary was made in 2016.

The objectives of the film are to inform Renaico residents about the reasons why the river was running dry, and to remind them about the affective connection they have with the river and get them to commit to care for and defend it.

Image and editing: Miguel Rozas – Photography : Pablo Ocqueteau
Music: “Soy culpable” by Weychan feat RIGO, Lyrics: Mauricio Gutierrez,                Track: Rodrigo Prado – 2016

Messages in bottles

collective action for the river

Renaico residents wrote messages to the river. Some of these messages were pasted on the outside of plastic bottles and others were placed inside them. These bottles were then hung from the bridge over the river.

This project was carried out in collaboration with the Renaico Recycling Association, a group of women who collect plastic bottles and other objects in order to recycle them. These bottles are often found on the banks of the Renaico River, because tourists don’t always dispose of their trash properly. The bottles were hung over the river over the course of the day, and then they were taken down.

Image and editing: Miguel Rozas – Photography : Pablo Ocqueteau –                        Music: “Memorias” by Weychan feat RIGO, Lyrics: Mauricio Gutierrez,                    Track: Rodrigo Prado – 2016

a Wave

collective action for the river

Approximately one hundred children from three schools—La Nobel Gabriela, the Liceo Técnico San Alfonso, and the Colegio de Tolpán—came together on the banks of the river to do the wave, as people do during sporting events. It was a metaphorical action to bring about the restoration of the river to its normal levels.

Image and editing: Miguel Rozas – Photography : Pablo Ocqueteau – 2016

texts by two girls on the action of art:

Let’s go, we can do it! Let’s do the wave so life and peace can return to the Renaico River. Let’s do it for the Renaico River.

I want the Renaico River to return to what it was, before it dies out. If it dies out, no one will be able to swim there. In the past, the Renaico River was full of life, but now it’s weaker, so: Let’s do the wave to bring back the Renaico River!!!

old Photographs

For the museum opening, ten old photos were donated by local residents and organizations, including the Renaico Municipal Library and the Morales Fernández family. The photo collection has grown over time, thanks to great interest in the community in remembering the past of the Renaico River. We have received a number of images thanks to the Facebook organization “Retrorecuerdos de Renaico.”

Children’s art

The “Save the Renaico River Collective” holds environmental workshops for children, helping them to draw the flora and fauna of the river and the problems it faces. We present some of these drawings, which were made especially for the museum’s collection.

The walls of Renaico

by Hans Ross

The walls in the town of Renaico, which were battered and covered in unintelligible graffiti, were painted over to beautify our town and encourage its inhabitants to enjoy their surroundings. We can now enjoy a happy, colorful walk alongside different kinds of artwork. The wall paintings all have the same focus, highlighting the history of the town since its foundation, while representing the flora and fauna of Renaico and its environs. They encourage respect for, and protection of, the environment in our territory, while also reflecting the identities of those who inhabit it.

These open-air art galleries in Renaico have been painted by different individuals and organizations. These include the Artehaga Collective of artists and muralists from the city of Concepción; Pablo Antay, a muralist from the city of Angol; Nicolás (Sark Pewün) of Concepción; and Gabriela Vivart, who executed the “open-air museum” concept under the direction of the Renaico-based journalist and cultural administrator Lorena Pedreros. Roberto Flores, known as the “Ñanku pintor” of the city of Los Ángeles, the Renaico-born artist and painter Cristian Gutiérrez, and Jorge Zerené, also of Renaico, have also been involved.

Many other artists participated in the difficult work of restoring the walls of Renaico, whose painted colors reflect different situations, propose a message of a better future, and offer a pedagogy of the good life.