GEOGRAPHY AND ORIGINAL ART: APPROXIMATIONS BETWEEN INDIGENOUS ARTISTIC DISCOURSES AND THE PLACE

Abstract

Humanist geography has devoted minimal attention to Indigenous art, despite having conducted significant research focused on the dialogue between geography and art. Based on this, the aim of this article is to interpret the discourses of Indigenous art within the context of geography, using the concept of place as a backdrop. The possibility of revealing new ways of interpreting geographical reality through Indigenous artistic expressions, such as painting, performance, dance, literature, among others, is another motivating factor for this work. We adopt a qualitative research approach, observing the theoretical and methodological limitations of humanistic geography in this field. We draw on recent works by authors such as Lima (2021) and Dozena (2020), who explore the dialogues between art and humanistic geography. To interpret the interviews from a humanistic geographical perspective, we employ the concept of place as proposed by Tuan (2013). The material analyzed consists of interviews given by Juliana Gomes and Denilson Baniwa to specialized websites that address the theme of "Indigenous art." As a result, it was observed that the interviewees' discourses share similarities regarding the purpose of Indigenous art: art as a fundamental element in the struggle for the (re)existence of Indigenous peoples and their cultures, as well as a means of representing their respective realities, sensitivities, worldviews, and aspirations.