Maya Juracan

Conference Report. December 2024
The Radicality is not a Word
Reflections on my Experience at CIMAM Sustainable Futures 2024
From the beginning, I had high expectations about the importance of this conference and its historical relevance. The theme, “Sustainable Futures,” deeply resonated with me, as I was eager to observe how these issues are analyzed from a global perspective.
Mark Bradford’s opening lecture gave me the sense of being in the right place. I consider it highly significant to begin such gatherings by discussing art and education, as these are often undervalued spaces. Later, during the session “What is our Agency?: The Contemporary Art, Museum and Climate Crisis,” while I found the scale of the museums discussed intriguing, I reflected on how, from my context and work as an activist and defender of the land, the central issue was not comprehensively addressed.
The climate crisis is not solely about architectural constructions or energy use in large museums. If one believes these changes significantly contribute to a sustainable future, they are starting from a flawed premise. The primary reflection should be that this is not merely a climate issue; it is also political, territorial, and capitalist. It is crucial to understand that a museum that does not work alongside local communities, activists, and community leaders is generating more publicity than genuine social awareness of the problem. The responses presented by the museums seemed superficial, focused on “cleaning the dirt they themselves carry on their shoes” without reflecting on their role within the system perpetuating this crisis.
The shift towards a sustainable future cannot rely solely on an institution. This is a long-term process that must be led by communities who have continually fought for laws that protect the planet. The full awareness that the future includes everyone is an essential step.
The second session, “Sustainable Ecosystems: Rethinking Museum Collections and Buildings within the Urban and Social Realm,” also brought forth significant reflections. Chuz Martínez’s introduction was insightful, but once again, discussions on architecture were analyzed through a Western lens of what constitutes territory. Phrases such as “making the territory less hostile” or “making the territory comfortable” were used. However, from our Maya Kaqchikel worldview, there is no such thing as a hostile territory. The land inherently possesses a design of coexistence with humans and non-humans; hostility is a capitalist invention rooted in the idea of comfort and white power.
Sara Zewde presented an interesting proposal, but it raises fundamental questions: Is the creation of a concrete building designed to consume energy and protect art objects not already a hostile vision towards the earth? Paradoxically, the most fertile space in a museum is the ground beneath the concrete on which it was built.
The conversation spaces were beautiful and conducive to sharing perspectives. However, I believe they could be broader in time and scope.
On the final day, the intervention by Edgar Calel and Pablo José Ramírez was profoundly moving. I am grateful for their lives, work, and voices. They perfectly articulate the places we come from and our battles to narrate our history in our own words. However, from my feminist and queer social struggle, I find it essential to include more voices of Central American women in these dialogues. There are numerous female artists, curators, and thinkers from indigenous backgrounds who have worked for art for decades, yet the 2024 statistics by La Revuelta indicate that less than 3% of them have been invited to spaces of power. It is critical to reflect on the gender gaps in the cultural field, where male curators and artists have dominated.
CIMAM provided me with a tremendous opportunity to learn and understand artistic ecosystems on a global scale. I felt safe and heard, in a space where I could express myself and be recognized. However, I also believe these spaces need to be led by more women, feminists, activists, and diverse bodies so that we can stay grounded and genuinely understand that sustainability lies in being generous with the earth, as she is with us.
Biography
Maya Juracan (b. 1987) is an activist and curator, which has written extensively on the connections between land, indigenous peoples, and women in relation to art. Her primary focus is on art theory from Central America, specifically through the lens of Maya women and community feminism.
Rather than offering a historiographic reflection, she aims to uncover the structural relationships of art within this region. In 2011, she founded the Biennial in Resistance, a project dedicated to redefining curatorial standards by introducing the concept of community curatorship. Unlike its American counterpart, this approach seeks direct connections between humans and non-humans through community practices that honor territory, context, and human dignity.
In 2020, Maya established La Revuelta, a foundation of women curators. Over the past four years, it has grown to include a house, library, research center, and residency in Guatemala City, dedicated exclusively to feminist art studies.
Maya Juracan, Director, Bienal en Resistencia, Guatemala City, Guatemala, has been awarded by the Getty Foundation, Los Angeles.