Once upon a time I had an idea...
Chimborazo - Ecuador
If the 3 little pigs were guinea pigs and settled in the Andes, what could happen?
A place is more than a location, it has it's own tone set by the people living there. As I imagined my first guinea pig in search of hay, I knew exactly who would share: the last ice-merchant, Don Baltazar Ushca. This is when I knew there might be an twist to this old tale, one centered around community and traditions.
A place is more than a location, it has it's own tone set by the people living there. As I imagined my first guinea pig in search of hay, I knew exactly who would share: the last ice-merchant, Don Baltazar Ushca. This is when I knew there might be an twist to this old tale, one centered around community and traditions.
Guano Museum, Riobamba - Ecuador 2022
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Don Baltazar's hard work and perseverance was the inspiration for my re-telling. For over 60 years he upheld the rigorous Kichwa tradition of climbing Mount Chimborazo to harvest it's unique ice to sell in town. He continued to reinvent himself and learned to read in his 70s and joined the Guano museum as a presenter where he shared his experiences and brought awareness to climate change challenges. Until his untimely death in 2024, he worked his farm and supported his community. Even though he traveled the world, filmed documentaries and received an Honoris Causa degree, he kept returning to the culture he loved. In my own way, I wanted to do the same.
Stone work
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Choclo drying
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Ancestral Andean Home
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