
Claudia Martínez Garay explores a new medium in her Artpace exhibition Ayataki. This is the first surround sound work by the artist and only the second animated video she has ever created. Playing throughout the gallery is a collage of original music written by the artist, alongside found audio samples including traditional songs from the Peruvian Andes and radio transmissions from San Antonio. There is also occasional dialogue spoken in Spanish and Quechua.
The screens placed in the center of the room feature the animation created by the artist. It depicts a narrative weaving the socio-political history of Peru during the civil war of the 1980s with the universal story of families migrating from the countryside to urban environments. The constructed landscape seen in this 15-minute animation makes visual references to both these experiences, with the radio tower serving as an anchor. Radio towers were often targeted during the war to limit communications through the country and are now seen as a symbol of that era. Martínez Garay seeks to create an atmospheric installation through a minimal aesthetic paired with a unique sonic experience.