Fellow: Javier Estupiñán
Javier Estupiñán is an audiovisual artist from the Canary Islands whose artistic approach intertwines with his curatorial practices.
Since 2022, he co-directs Vega de Agua, an art initiative that develops art residencies and other cultural projects focused on collective and multidisciplinary practices. His works are directly linked to experimentation and often delve into potential pasts to reclaim stories that have been marginalized or hidden.
For the Global Slavery History Fellowship, Javier Estupiñán aims to explore the role of the Netherlands in the overlooked history of slavery in the Canary Islands. During this research, he intends to create an audiovisual piece that challenges the prevailing 'paradise' image of the Canary Islands in European collective memory. By highlighting the colonial past and the historical significance of the archipelago as a strategic location in the transatlantic trade of enslaved people, this work seeks to provoke critical reflection on the complex history of these islands and their ties to Europe.
Watch his video here:
