“Wetlands Basins #2” brings art and nature together in Areguá

A collective exhibition in Areguá will use art to focus attention on the wetlands around Lake Ypakaraí.

“Wetlands Basins #2” opens Sunday, September 6, at 11 a.m. at the Centro Cultural del Lago. Curated by Fernando Moure, the exhibition brings together 18 artists and follows an earlier edition held on the other side of the lake, in San Bernardino.

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a vital and emotional map

The show combines ceramics, photography, painting, drawing, video art and sculpture. Moure describes the works as a visual and audiovisual repertoire reflecting on the physical and human territory of the wetlands. The artists examine biological landscapes ranging from botany to geology, including the waters of the Ypakaraí basin and other water systems.

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a visual and audiovisual repertoire that reflects on the physical and human territory of the wetlands in this geographical area

Some artists approach aquatic places poetically, while others confront the pressure that human activity places on those territories. Gustavo Benítez will present “Selva,” made with cellulose, plant fibres and pigments. The exhibition also includes Johanna Reich's video “Water on Asphalt.”

Moure says wetlands include lagoons, marshes, swamps, streams and rivers. He describes the Ypakaraí lagoon wetland as a subtropical flood zone and a vital ecosystem that regulates key water and climate cycles across 1,000 square kilometres. The area supports about 800,000 people and contains abundant flora and fauna that face threats.

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The wetlands have varied forms, and include ecosystems or biomes such as lagoons, marshes, swamps, streams and rivers.