Dodgem. An intervention in an Amusement Park's bumper-carts ride
Minerva Cuevas: "DODGEM"
kurimanzutto is pleased to announce "DODGEM", the most recent project by
Minerva Cuevas. This time the gallery will open its doors in a local
amusement park in Mexico City.
For this exhibition Minerva Cuevas presents an intervention in an
amusement park's bumper-carts ride -- a perfect context for Cuevas'
commentary on the recent energy politics. This greed-driven battle
characterized by a permanent war among the petrol companies (referred to
ironically by the artist through the aimless bumping of electric cars)
looking to control the international markets with the ultimate goal of
private profit. These companies are ultimately the ones who dictate
environmental policies and control the exploitation of natural resources.
Minerva Cuevas' work is characterized by public interventions, the use of
media articulating campaigns which address economic and social processes,
communications and biotechnology. Her work consists mainly of
installation, video, photography and advertising resources.
TERRORISM IS SCARIER THAN GLOBAL WARMING
"If environmental groups cost business money, then they're eco-terrorists." Dan Barry - Clearinghouse for
Environmental Advocacy and Research.
"Of course, oil from the Middle East is a problem. Getting oil from unstable Persian Gulf leaves America less secure
and yoked to unattractive regimes."
"In a big defeat for the Bush administration's national energy plan, the Democratic-led U.S. Senate on Thursday
killed a White House proposal to let oil companies drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. " Tom Doggett,
Reuters.
President George W. Bush, a former Texas oilman, made drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge the centerpiece
of his proposed U.S. energy policy. "At a time when oil and gas prices are rising, the Senate today missed an
opportunity to lead America to greater energy independence," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told
reporters. The administration also will fight for ANWR drilling to be included in any final version of an energy bill,
Fleischer said.
"... options as drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge decrease security. If the refuge held
economically recoverable oil, then delivering that oil by its only route, the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System, would
undercut the anti-terrorist goals of the Defense Authorization Act. It would make the pipeline the fattest
energy-terrorist target in the country -- akin to pinning a "Kick Me" sign on Uncle Sam's backside." Bill McKibben.
Environmentalists say Alaska oil would be far from secure: They point out that last month, a single drunken man
managed to puncture the trans-Alaskan pipeline by firing a rifle at it, causing a 285,000-gallon oil spill. As for
supply, the United States Geological Survey and the Union of Concerned Scientists, note that at peak production
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge may yield only 500,000 barrels per day. The U.S. uses 19.45 million barrels of
oil daily, according to the Department of Energy, or more than a quarter of global production.
The Bush administration, Exxon-Mobil and other energy companies successfully connived behind the scenes to oust
climatologist Robert Watson from leadership of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United
Nation's international scientific panel on climate change. Meanwhile, an extensive research survey published in
March confirms that global warming is already affecting life on earth.
Minerva Cuevas belongs to the collective Irational.org since 1998.
CV: http://www.irational.org/minerva/resume.html
The project is open for view and participation during the regular opening
hours of the Amusement Park.
kurimanzutto
Amusement Park at Patriotismo and Ave. Mixcoac, Mexico City