Alicia Caldera Guerrero

ES

Alicia Caldera Guerrero

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ES

2219

 

A shared history between Venezuela and Colombia, intertwined along 2.219 kilometers of border and united by the same national colors: yellow, blue, and red.

My photographic project, 2219, emerged as a response to the Venezuelan exodus to various countries, including Colombia. Like many others, I left my homeland and arrived in Colombia in 2007, part of a generation disheartened by the direction our country was taking. Living in Colombia allowed me to observe from afar the profound political, economic, and social transformations Venezuela has undergone in recent decades. It also provided me with the chance to connect with fellow Venezuelans who felt uprooted from their native land.

Through this project, I sought to create an experience—a visual and emotional journey bridging these two nations.

In late 2018, 2219 was published as a photobook after being selected in a Latin American Photobook competition organized by the Center of Photography in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The photobook consists of three booklets, each with its own narrative and significance.

The first booklet, yellow in color, features a star on its cover, symbolizing the alterations made to Venezuela’s patriotic symbols under the current regime. Designed as an accordion, it evokes the idea of an endless journey toward an uncertain future. Through its pages, we traverse sterile landscapes along the northern border and follow the central corridor, historically the most active route, which offers a contemplative and bucolic view of the region.

The second booklet, blue in color, depicts a halted horse with its head turned backward—a representation of the horse from Venezuela’s national coat of arms as it appeared before 2006. This section immerses us in the homes of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. The portraits capture their lingering grief for what they left behind: their traditions, loved ones, and sense of belonging.

Finally, the third booklet, red in color, showcases an untamed and free horse, the one that replaced the previous design in Venezuela’s coat of arms, symbolizing a country that many Venezuelans no longer recognize. Here, we witness the stories of fractured families, broken individuals, and fragmented lives.