Granny Smith I 2007
In the mid-80’s, Chile was still under military dictatorship. I was about 10 years old and lived with my family in the port city of Valparaiso. Saturday afternoons were usually quiet, but sometimes during the months of February and March those afternoons were interrupted by the abrupt sound of twisted metal. A truckload of fruit for export on its way to the port had collided on the curve in front of my parents’ apartment. When I went out of the house accompanied by my mother to see what had happened, we were always confronted with the same scenario: the truck driver trapped in a bunch of metal fighting for his last minutes of life, a sea of green fruit scattered on the pavement and local bystanders waiting to pick up the fruit to take them home.
The “Granny Smith” apple, suitable for export due to its typical firmness and durability, was also able to survive the blows from the car accident. For this reason, and due to the high unemployment and poverty rates in the harbour in those days, the apples scattered on the pavement were seen as a divine gift, a harvest without planting, a fast business deal without effort. The weeks following the accident were characterized by the enjoyment of kilos and kilos of apples for export by all the families in the area. This would not have been possible without the accident - they would never have entered their homes.
Realized as part of the exhibition project:
DEAD END
Curated By Sarah Serighelli
With Dana Levy and Lidia Sanvito
von 04.10.2007 bis 22.10.2007
Lambda Prints I Instalation I © 2007
