“Africana 3.0” is an interactive sound installation that stems from bibliographical research, experiential learning, and a series of interviews with individuals connected to the phenomenon of “picós” (portable, personalized sound systems with a strong graphic presence typical of the Colombian Caribbean) in Barranquilla. These “picós” have historically been undervalued and discriminated against. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Barranquilla meant being surrounded by the deafening sounds of Caribbean and African rhythms every weekend from distant (and not so distant) “picós,” as well as the cacophonous melodies of “picó concert” cassette recordings that played incessantly on tape recorders during the week. However, authorities and cultural and economic elites associated “picós” with precariousness, violence, and backwardness. Since the 1980s, various initiatives have sought to legitimize the cultural practice of the “picó,” including listening to and understanding African music. However, the studied bibliography focuses on social and gregarious dynamics, as well as the graphic identity of these devices. This installation proposes an approach towards technological appropriations and aesthetic decisions from and for the sonic, exploring circuits, cables, audio recording media, and other elements involved in giving “voice” to the “picó.” This is based on ethnographic work with cabinetmaker Javier Visbal and audio electronics technician Edinsion Guardiola, both specialists in “picós.”
This work was realized thanks to the Beca de Creación Artística awarded through the Portafolio de Estímulos of the Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y los Saberes of Colombia.
Camilo Augusto 