In memory of green - Arteaga Wildfire

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In memory of green

Somewhere in between the large deserts and evergrowing industrial parks of Northeast Mexico lies Arteaga. The city with beautiful forest sceneries with pine trees and vegetation attracts many families and visitors, especially in the winter season. It is a magical town, a hidden gem, a jump from a dry land to a postcard of vivid green.

That’s the memory I’m hanging on to. This project is a documentation of the wildfire in Arteaga, Coahuila, Mexico, which happened in June 2018. For 5 days fire spread massively, resulting in 800 hectares affected. There were two important factors in play: strong unfavorable winds, a matter of circumstance. And the lack of contingency plans, a missed responsibility.

My work usually focuses on abstract fiction topics, like chaos in the universe, The Anthropocene and post-apocalyptic scenarios. In a sense, this project is still about that, but this time from a realistic approach. Particularly, Arteaga is important to me — it is close to my hometown and it represents a traditional “environmental treasure” for those who seek escape from the industry landscapes.