Finding Bolivia at the American Museum of Natural History

Governmental unrest and protests involving death have recently brought Bolivia into the public eye. The mainstream media’s depiction of the nation has placed an unfortunate pallor over Bolivia, and has overshadowed its natural wealth and beauty.

The American Museum of Natural History’s new exhibit, “Exploring Bolivia’s Biodiversity,” attempts to rectify this problem by bringing the varied cultures and ecosystems of Bolivia into brighter light. Through more than 30 photographs, the exhibit stresses the unbreakable connection the indigenous inhabitants have to Bolivia’s natural landscapes and resources.

The exhibit is divided into several categories: Agriculture, Textiles, Wildlife, and Religious Ceremonies. There are photographs ranging from pure landscapes shots, to close-ups of agricultural products, to Bolivia’s native peoples. Even though the beauty of Lake Titicaca and Catarata el Encanto (the Enchanted Waterfall) is exquisitely portrayed through these photographs, the viewer feels something lacking in them in relation to the rest of the exhibit.

Visitors are drawn more towards the photographs of Bolivia’s indigenous people within nature. The photographs possess a stronger dynamic and better exemplify the message the Museum wishes to transmit. Although the image of Bolivia’s agricultural fields extending up the gigantic slopes of the Andes mountains is striking, it feels emotionally flat in comparison to “Woman Picking Quinoa” by Peter McFarren. The lower half of the photograph is dominated by the yellowish-red haze of the quinoa (a type of grain) which moves in a gentle breeze. Stooping over the quinoa is a Bolivian woman in native dress, picking it by hand without the aid of tool or machine. The work is hard and requires skill and concentration, but contentment marks her face. She exemplifies the connection her people have to the land.

Similarly, “Dance of the Macheteros” by Willy Kenning portrays the male participants of a cultural ceremony involving machetes. A long line of men wearing huge head-dresses made from blue-and-yellow macaw feathers fills the photograph. Their faces are weathered but the feathers of the head-dresses lend a glow and texture to these people and help to define the ceremony. The connection the varied population of Bolivia has to its natural resources can only be accurately explained through the people’s cultural interactions with them.

Peter McFarren’s photographs of the colorful shawls of the Aymara Indians successfully counter the misconceptions of violence and unrest associated with Bolivia. “Woven Shawls in Curva” portrays a group of Aymara Indians covered in their vibrant striped shawls. The dizzying array of colors reflects the variety of ecosystems and cultures located in Bolivia.

As a whole, the exhibit tears down the misperceptions associated with Bolivia by illuminating its spectral nature. The images are so beautiful that they eclipse the media’s dark portrayal of Bolivia as a violent nation.