ARRIBA LOS DE ABAJO (RISE UP THOSE BELOW), created together with Todo por la Praxis in La Otra Bienal (2013), was a context-specific project that aimed to promote discussion about gentrification faced by La Perseverancia, a working-class neighborhood in central Bogota, stigmatized by his reputation as violent and dangerous.
A common mechanism used by urban speculators in gentrification processes is to erase the memory of neighborhoods, in order to cancel the sense of belonging to the place, thus facilitating the removal and replacement of those who live there. The memory of La Perseverancia is rooted in its identity as a working-class neighborhood; its original inhabitants were the workers of the Bavaria brewery who were strong supporters of Jorge Eliecer Gaitán, a popular Liberal leader assassinated when running for president, leading to the Bogotazo, the massive riots that that burned down the Colombian capital in 1948.
A common mechanism used by urban speculators in gentrification processes is to erase the memory of neighborhoods, in order to cancel the sense of belonging to the place, thus facilitating the removal and replacement of those who live there. The memory of La Perseverancia is rooted in its identity as a working-class neighborhood; its original inhabitants were the workers of the Bavaria brewery who were strong supporters of Jorge Eliecer Gaitán, a popular Liberal leader assassinated when running for president, leading to the Bogotazo, the massive riots that that burned down the Colombian capital in 1948.
It is assumed that those who started the riots came from La Perseverancia, a neighborhood that Gaitán had baptized as the “Red Belt” of Bogota due to the militancy of its inhabitants. To forget the historical struggle and break their rebel memory is the first step in weakening community ties and the possibility of collective action.
The intervention consisted of the creation of a physical signpost with a representative slogan of the labor movement: Arriba los de Abajo (Rise Up Those Below). The intervention aimed to be both an experience (as a practicable sculpture) and a provocation (as speech). Looking to revive and make monumental the history of struggle and resistance of La Perseverancia, without nostalgia for what has been lost but with the power of the inhabitants of the present.
The neighborhood youth reacted by appropriating the installation, organizing a festival of Hip Hop, and inviting groups from other neighborhoods of Bogota to perform on the installation.
The intervention consisted of the creation of a physical signpost with a representative slogan of the labor movement: Arriba los de Abajo (Rise Up Those Below). The intervention aimed to be both an experience (as a practicable sculpture) and a provocation (as speech). Looking to revive and make monumental the history of struggle and resistance of La Perseverancia, without nostalgia for what has been lost but with the power of the inhabitants of the present.
The neighborhood youth reacted by appropriating the installation, organizing a festival of Hip Hop, and inviting groups from other neighborhoods of Bogota to perform on the installation.
Among the strategies used to spread the message (such as screen-printed posters, t-shirts, stickers, and megaphoning) was the creation of a rap song with the insurgent slogan. For this, we had the complicity of the rap group Todo Copas, who “represent” the center of Bogotá. We recorded a video clip with the song at the installation and they posted it on YouTube. The idea was to circulate the people’s claims through their ow channels, beyond the confines of the art field, and it was a success! The song became a hit among the youth of the popular neighborhoods of Colombia.
Years later, in 2020, it became even more relevant as an anthem in the social outbreak. The motto was picked up among the politicians of change in Colombia, who in 2022 assumed the presidency of the country, this being the first time in history that the left governs in Colombia.
Years later, in 2020, it became even more relevant as an anthem in the social outbreak. The motto was picked up among the politicians of change in Colombia, who in 2022 assumed the presidency of the country, this being the first time in history that the left governs in Colombia.
FIAT ARS
PEREAT MUNDUS
ENCUENTRO URGENTE DE RESISTENCIAS ESTÉTICAS ANTE UN MUNDO EN LLAMAS
25.09.2025 — 19:00
24-25.10.2025 — 18:00
Mèdol, Centre d’Arts Contemporànies de Tarragona
Arquitectura Expandida, Democracia, Leónidas Martín, Espectros de lo Urbano, Todo por la Praxis, Tau Luna Acosta, Oscar Guayabero.
Curaduría: CaldodeCultivo
Producción: Künstainer
25.09.2025 — 19:00
24-25.10.2025 — 18:00
Mèdol, Centre d’Arts Contemporànies de Tarragona
Arquitectura Expandida, Democracia, Leónidas Martín, Espectros de lo Urbano, Todo por la Praxis, Tau Luna Acosta, Oscar Guayabero.
Curaduría: CaldodeCultivo
Producción: Künstainer
¿Qué puede el arte ante un mundo en llamas? ¿Qué hacer ante el genocidio en curso, la inminencia de otra guerra mundial, el cataclismo climàtico? ¿Aún es el arte una herramienta o arma eficiente, como defendía Benjamin, con la que dar batalla por la vida digna, cuando no por la misma existencia? ¿Sería este capaz de hacer descarrilar el proyecto neofascista que avanza a toda máquina colonizando el planeta entero?
En el encuentro “Fiat Ars Pereat Mundus” reflexionaremos colectivamente sobre cómo dar respuesta desde las prácticas artísticas a los desafíos existenciales que nos amenazan y atenazan. Para ello, invitamos a artistas con una dilatada experiencia desarrollando prácticas que acompañan y amplifican luchas sociales y políticas, a responder a la sarcástica -y profética- afirmación “Fiat Ars, Pereat Mundus” (Hágase el arte, aunque el mundo perezca), con la que Benjamin denunció la estetización de la política y su complicidad con el fascismo, invitando a combatirla politizando la estética.
CALDODECULTIVO
EJERCICIOS DE RESISTENCIA
Mèdol, Centre d’Arts Contemporànies
de Tarragona, 2025
Dos ediciones independientes:
Español / Català
15.6 × 21.6 cm
352 pág.
Encuadernación Suiza
Cubiertas en serigrafía
ISBN: 978-84-09-66713-0
PVP:27€
+info:
unai@caldodecultivo.com
de Tarragona, 2025
Dos ediciones independientes:
Español / Català
15.6 × 21.6 cm
352 pág.
Encuadernación Suiza
Cubiertas en serigrafía
ISBN: 978-84-09-66713-0
PVP:27€
+info:
unai@caldodecultivo.com
La práctica artística del colectivo CALDODECULTIVO busca fortalecer las luchas que oponen resistencia a la dominación capitalista, colonialista y patriarcal. En sus proyectos despliegan dispositivos de contrapropaganda y agitación popular con los que ejercitar, cual deporte de combate, la imaginación política radical.
Este libro es una narración, a muchas voces, de la experiencia del colectivo a partir de un recorrido por sus proyectos más significativos de la década 2013-2023. En él, además de CALDODECULTIVO, diversxs investigadorxs y activistas reflexionan sobre una práctica artística que es, como se comprobará, necesariamente conflictual.
Aquí se levantan las imágenes de unos proyectos que todavía hoy son afectos y resistencias en movimiento. Si estas páginas logran agitar a quien las lea, con parte de la fuerza con que agitó a quienes vivieron los proyectos, su labor estará hecha.
Unai Reglero y Gabriela Córdoba Vivas
(Ed.) Diana Obando
Ensayos de:
Marta Cabrera, Javier Bassas, Matt Kenyon, Luis Fernando Medina “Luscus”, Halima Afi Cassells, Yolanda Chois Rivera, Andrés Góngora, Jalil Abdul Muntaqim, Fernando Escobar Neir, Katarzyna Pastuszak, Magdalena Mellin & Monika Wińczyk. (Fot.) Guillermo Camacho
Traducció de l’edició en català:
Martí Sales i Carles Serrat
(Ed.) Diana Obando
Ensayos de:
Marta Cabrera, Javier Bassas, Matt Kenyon, Luis Fernando Medina “Luscus”, Halima Afi Cassells, Yolanda Chois Rivera, Andrés Góngora, Jalil Abdul Muntaqim, Fernando Escobar Neir, Katarzyna Pastuszak, Magdalena Mellin & Monika Wińczyk. (Fot.) Guillermo Camacho
Traducció de l’edició en català:
Martí Sales i Carles Serrat
PROJECTS
CARTA BLANCA
Reus, Catalunya (2025)
METROPOLICE
Bogotá DC.(2023)
THE ABOLITIONIST
ARTIFACT
Buffalo, New York (2022)
ATTICA NOW
Buffalo, New York (2021-2022)
EVERYTHING
IS GOING TO BE
ALT-RIGHT
Buffalo, New York (2020)
EL COLISEO
DEL PUEBLO
Cali (Colombia), 2018.
LA TOMA
DEL COLISEO
THE STORMING OF THE COLISEUM
Cali (Colombia) 2018
BLACK VENUS
PROTEST
Gdańsk (Poland), 2017.
DETROITERS
Detroit (USA), 2016-2017.
ESTE PREDIO
NO SE VENDE
THIS LAND IS NOT FOR SALEBogotá (Colombia), 2016.
MEDELLIN
SOBRE TODOS
MEDELLIN ÜBER ALLESMedellín (Colombia) 2015—2016
COMANCHE
Bogotá (Colombia) 2015
YO NO SOY UNA PUTA
YO SOY LA PUTA
Y PARA USTED:
SEÑORA PUTA
Mrs. WHOREBogotá (Colombia), 2014.
TERRA PROMESA
Tarragona (Spain), 2014.
LA TOMA
DEL MAMBO
Bogotá (Colombia), 2018.
ARRIBA
LOS DE ABAJO
Bogotá (Colombia), 2013
EUROPA
Warsaw (Poland), 2013
DISTORSIÓN
LIBRE
Tarragona (Spain) 2010-2017
LO IMPORTANTE
ES LA BASE
WHAT MATTER IS THE BASETarragona (Spain) 2013