Arabel Lebrusan

On January 25, 2019, a dam collapsed at the Córrego do Feijão iron ore mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This catastrophe unleashed a massive wave of 12 million cubic meters of tailings, rushing downhill at 120 km/h, devastating the surrounding area. The wave wiped out the forest, the mine’s facilities, including the loading station and administrative buildings, and even the cafeteria where workers were having lunch. The tragedy claimed the lives of 272 people.

In response to this harrowing event, the artist turned to art as a means of processing the overwhelming grief. The body of work presented here, titled “Toxic Waves,” emerged from this endeavour.

Following, in the summer of 2021, Lebrusan embarked on a Research Fellowship at the Centre for Spatial, Environmental, and Cultural Politics at the University of Brighton. Her objective was to delve into concepts such as extractivism, ecofeminism, and ecological grief through artistic expression. She questioned whether various forms of art, including drawing, sculpting, performing, and acting, could bring us closer to and help us engage with ecological and social tragedies occurring far from our immediate surroundings.

During her fellowship, she delved into the idea that objects and materials have the capacity to hold memories, as outlined in the Object Reminiscence framework. Additionally, she explored the concept of “vibrant matter,” as articulated by Jane Bennett, and how handling materials could unlock narratives embedded within them.

Toxic Waves is an ongoing body of work, which has open up Lebrusan’s artistic practice to questions around extractivism, ecofeminism and social history.