The Eternal Return, pre-Hispanic Interactions, blowing into the past

the-eternal-return

Archaeology has taken on a new role in recent decades. From being a discipline that could trigger an imaginary journey into a frozen past, it now acts as a type of time machine, with the past becoming increasingly materialised in the present. The Eternal Return, pre-Hispanic Interactions, is an artwork by Cristhian Avila that won an award of distinction at Prix Ars Electronica 2022. It consists of pre-Hispanic musical instruments that are 3D printed and ‘played’ by a technological system that channels wind into them. The work is based on a reconstruction and a primary element (the wind) to recreate music from the past. The character of randomness is maintained, which seems to symbolise the impossibility of complete accuracy, yet the ability to simulate a distant time.

 

Cristhian Avila – The Eternal Return, pre-Hispanic Interactions