Traffic Color - Guacamaya Overall Honorable Mentions

Title: Traffic color - Guacamaya
Year: 2025
Technique: Digital art with fragments of Colombian banknotes, euros and US dollars
This artwork offers a visual and conceptual reflection through the integration of fragments of Colombian pesos, euros, and U.S. dollars, meticulously cut into 1 centimeter squares. At its center, the presence of a Ara ararauna macaw stands out, its gaze, as if peering through a virtual window, seems to question our relationship with its world. This species, emblematic of the dry and humid tropical forests of Central and South America, particularly Colombia, becomes the protagonist of a narrative that blends admiration with a call for awareness.
The macaw symbolizes not only the majesty of biodiversity but also its vulnerability to the illegal wildlife trade. Its vibrant colors, coveted for their exotic allure, represent an attraction that transcends borders and markets, embodying a paradox: what we admire in nature is often what we harm most in our attempt to possess it.
The title "Traffic Color - Guacamaya" raises an essential question: what is the true cost of our fascination with the exotic? The artwork weaves together fragments of banknotes from Colombia, the macaw’s country of origin, with those from nations where these birds are traded, establishing a contrast between economic value and the intrinsic value of wildlife. This dialogue between currency and nature reminds us that behind every transaction lies an irreversible impact on ecological balance.
Beyond its visual impact, this piece seeks to create an emotional connection that inspires the viewer to rethink their role in preserving biodiversity. It is not just about observing but questioning how our choices and consumption systems contribute to the deterioration of the natural world. Ultimately, this artwork is an invitation to value what cannot be priced: life itself in its purest and freest form.