“Paisajes Sonoros” at La Nueva Fábrica
Lead Curator
Summer 2019

Joaquín Orellana is one of Guatemala’s most revered artistic figures, but never had a full exhibition of his work in his home country. Orellana is a composer known for inventing his own instruments to create sounds that interpret Guatemala’s landscape, such as the sound of cicadas, the sound of hunger, or the sound of a surprise attack. Most of these instruments are based on Guatemala’s ubiquitous marimba, but result in stunning, sculptural pieces. 

Conversations with Orellana ranged from literature, to visual art, to history, to philosophy, to humor, to music in a delightful exploration of his process creating music, paintings, poetry, and prose.

How can we design the show so Orellana speaks through the curation, so visitors feel like they are getting to know him? How can the galleries reflect the “soundscape” of his context, but also the inner journey through his creative process? 

I designed a journey through his works as if it were a conversation with Orellana, with much of the museography consisting of his own words and videos we recorded of him playing the instruments. The exhibit also included binaural sound art, a screening room with his full symphony, and an “Interactive Zone” for visitors to experiment.