An ex-voto is a votive offering to invisible forces, mainly given in fulfilment of a vow after being healed. It often takes form in the mold of the wounded member, a print that has been directly in contact with the body of the helped. This cyanotype was made with a radiography of my sick lungs, and plants I found dead in an exploited forest. In this photograph, I link the wounded wilderness – the French call forests “Earth lungs” – with my wounded lungs. Since Magic involves using analogies to weave links between a representation and its object in order to affect it, what kind of magic system is invoked when we summon action with contact prints? I tied this photograph to the terrible arsons devastating Amazonia, and more recently Australia, echoing with the disastrous impacts of global changes on the fragile balance of Earth life.

Votos, 2019. © Lia Villevieille
Votos, 2019. © Lia Villevieille

Votos, 2019. © Lia Villevieille

Since Magic involves using analogies to weave links between a representation and its object in order to affect it, what kind of magic system is invoked when we summon action with contact prints?

Similar

For full size images view click one the image.

sign up

and get the latest news and calls for papers & projects

For all the submissions to  Membrana journal please go to: journals.membrana.org