Reflections

The story of how artist and marine researcher Beatriz Chachamovits first fell in love with coral reefs is like something out of a dream. “It was magical, as corals are,” she says to Salomé at the beginning of this episode.

Considered the most biodiverse ecosystem on earth, coral reefs are essential for our planet. They house 25% of all ocean species, and as humans we get countless medicines from these fragile environments. Yet, for many years now their health has been rapidly declining. In this episode Beatriz and Salomé discuss how she has turned to her artistic practice as a way to bring attention to the beauty and importance of coral reefs and what everyone can do to protect these vital environments. 

Beatriz Chachamovits' website & Instagram account:

- https://www.beatrizchachamovits.com/about

- https://www.instagram.com/beatrizchachamovits/

Miami-based beach clean up organization mentioned by Beatriz: https://www.cleanthisbeachup.org/

When Jose Campos was a young child, he immigrated by land from La Paz, El Salvador, to San Francisco, California. There, he spent years living undocumented, cleaning houses with his mother, and experiencing the many struggles of being simultaneously targeted and invisibilized due to his migratory status. Today, Jose, now based in the UK, is the mind and soul behind Studio Lenca, a talented and increasingly successful artist who has shown his art around the world.

In this episode, Jose joined Salomé to speak about his journey as an artist. Amongst many subjects, they discuss his roots as a dancer, his intimate relationship with his mother (a driving force of his career), the importance of being seen, the struggles of belonging, and the artist's commitment to uplifting his family and community.

https://www.studiolenca.com/

Link to the Rutas project: https://www.studiolenca.com/rutas

https://carlfreedman.com/exhibitions/2024/studio-lenca/

Cover image photo by Zach Gates

Intro and outro music by ⁠Pryces.

LA-based mindfulness and meditation teacher Mariana Orkenyi joins Salomé for an enlightening and nuanced conversation on the subject of purpose. They discuss what it means to "discover" our purpose, and how we can deal with the anxiety and heaviness that this theme oftentimes brings up while also recognizing the many benefits of intentional living. 

Mari Orkenyi's Website: https://mari-orkenyi.com/

Mari Orkenyi's Substack: https://marianaorkenyi.substack.com/

Other resources mentioned at the end:

- When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron: https://bookshop.org/p/books/when-things-fall-apart-heart-advice-for-difficult-times-pema-chodron/9757480

- Ada Limón Poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ada-limon

- Adam Phillips, On Getting Better: https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-getting-better-adam-phillips/16726413?ean=9781250838872

- David White, Consolations: https://davidwhyte.com/collections/books/products/consolations-revised-edition

London-based artist Laxmi Hussain joins host Salomé Gómez-Upegui to reflect on motherhood and creativity. She shares how motherhood led her to become an artist and how her artistic practice is continuously influenced by her experience as a mother of three.

"I'm always going to want to be there for my kids, but also, I really want to do this thing, and, personally, I need to make it work...it calls me so strongly...and even when there are hard times, I'm constantly trying to readapt," Hussain says.

Article on artists shaping the way we see motherhood, referenced by Salomé: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-women-artists-shaping-way-motherhood.

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

Host Salomé Gómez-Upegui gives listeners an overview of Reflections.