This man was from the Afro-Colombian community of Kilometer 9, Bajo Calima. Since 2010, this community has suffered encroachment onto its land by the multinational company, Agua Dulce.

 

After years of encroachment, the community has been fully displaced from their ancestral land. Like many communities that become victim to rapacious neoliberalism, these residents were never consulted about the company’s activity on their land, a clear violation of their rights as an Afro-descendant community.

 

Agua Dulce used military and paramilitary proxies to threaten and intimidate landholders off of their land. For example, in 2010, the army burned down more than 22 homes and farms in this area. Community members have not received any reparations for their losses.

 

From the Artist:

 

This activist’s facial expression is symbolic of the dignity and strength many displaced peoples in Colombia and show in the face of oppression. The sharp angles/pieces represent how many lives have been fractured. The over lapping layers represent the many complexities that surround their existence every day. Often their work for social justice is invisible to the world and the Colombian government. The colors in the piece, red, blue and yellow represent the colors of the Colombian flag.