2019 – ongoing
The philosophical foundation of Samayuio invites reflection on the rivers that flow through the human body and the essential role of water as the sustenance that powers ecosystems.
This perspective highlights the profound interconnectedness between our internal rivers—our blood, lymph, and other vital fluids—and the external rivers that sustain life on Earth. Just as water nurtures ecosystems, it also supports the physical and emotional balance within us, reminding us of our shared dependence on this vital element and the responsibility to protect it.
As above so below
Inner Rivers. Monica Aguilar V./Saokma. 2019 – 2020©
These triptychs offer diverse perspectives on the reciprocity between water and the human body, serving as a means to better understand how to conserve it and communicate its value and care to others.
Each piece explores the profound connection between the water that sustains life within us and the water that flows through the Earth, emphasizing the need for awareness, respect, and collective action to protect this vital resource. They are an invitation to reflect, engage, and act in harmony with water’s role as the foundation of life.
Points of Pain
Points of Pain: Thymus, Heart, and Pelvis. Monica Aguilar V. / Saokma. 2024©
The pain caused by the neglect, burial, and pollution of my city’s rivers compelled me to engage in a bodily reflection.
Using a 1932 map of Quito from the Military Geographic Institute, preserved in the archives of the Metropolitan Cultural Center, I felt a deep discomfort—a pain rooted in the rivers of my city. This led me to map them onto the human body, creating photographic overlays that establish a resonance between the body, the land, its ravines, and, of course, the water flowing through them.
These compositions invite contemplation on the interconnectedness of our bodies and the natural environment, emphasizing how the health of our rivers mirrors our own physical and emotional well-being.
Time & Highlands
Time & Highlands. Mónica Aguilar V./Saokma. 2019 – 2023©
These interventions with natural elements over photographs invite reflection on the passage of time, conservation, and the human intention in inhabiting the páramo—a vital source of water and life in the Andes.
Are we truly aware of the footprint we leave behind? What is our deeper intention when living in a city that is, in essence, a páramo and high Andean forest? Are we conscious of time’s flow and the ever-changing nature of our surroundings?
Through this work, I explore the delicate balance between human presence and the resilience of the páramo, questioning our role in preserving the dynamic and interconnected cycles of life that sustain us.