Ekologie stroje - výstava v Galerii VI PER

Galerie VI invites you to the opening of the exhibition The Ecology of the Machine: Landscapes of Cement and Power and a guided tour.

Cement is today the most widely used construction material in the world. Those specific forces fueled by capital that have driven the cement industry forward since its inception in the 19th century to the peak of this sector throughout the 20th century have established it as a material of fundamental importance for shaping both the current natural and human-made landscape. The ecological impact of the cement industry extends beyond buildings and built-up land, fundamentally influencing the transformation of landscapes, natural resources, social and labor arrangements, entire economies, and the environment over the last two centuries. From raw material extraction to urban construction, cement is present in all its forms as an agent of change that governs economies and even the very air we breathe. The famous mixture of five parts limestone (CaCO3), two parts aluminosilicate, and an addition of gypsum has radically transformed both construction itself and the processes of its production, distribution, and use, thereby transforming the entire world.

Mexico is the twelfth largest producer of cement on the planet; it is home to the second largest cement company in the world, with 97% of all production consumed directly in the domestic market. This situation is favored by the fact that 87% of Mexico's total surface area is made up of limestone, along with the legal framework that creates a series of exceptions for mining rocks and products that can only be used for construction purposes. The local landscape is therefore not protected from one of the largest industrial sectors in the country and represents an ideal space for its exponential growth.

The exhibition The Ecology of the Machine: Landscapes of Cement and Power addresses the diverse ecological balances, systems, and transformations of the landscape that are the result of the economic and technological machinery represented by the cement industry in Mexico. By exploring historical contexts and contemporary narratives within the cement industry, the exhibition seeks to uncover the hidden history of these realities and demonstrate how they have functioned and continue to function to help maintain the position, power, and profit of individuals and entire groups. It also aims to present the power dynamics behind socio-technical regimes while documenting the inevitable and often overlooked changes in the Mexican landscape. The exhibition – centered around the kiln, a key technological element in cement production – functions as a machine that transforms matter into material. It presents six themes – culture, labor, capital, self-help construction, the social sphere, and the environment – to explore cement as a material, an industry, and an ideology.

Research project: Erika Loana, Kim Förster
Curator: Tania Tovar Torres
Video: César García Aldape
Graphic design: Estudio P
Installation: Jakub Chrenčík