THE TECHNO-TAMALADAS
The Techno-Tamaladas draw on thousands of years of practice & knowledge cultivating corn/maíz across the Americas to sustain life. In recognizing the Indigenous technology of nixtamalization as a technology of life, we reimagine technological futurity.
Las Techno-Tamaladas se basan en miles de años de práctica y conocimiento del cultivo de maíz en las Américas para sostener la vida. En reconocer la tecnología indígena de nixtamalización como tecnologia de vida, reimaginamos nuestro futuro tecnológico.
local | REGIONAL | global | INTERgalactic
Founder, project director, and lead artist Praba Pilar, with collaborators/colaboradores, guest artists, and more
EVENTS/EVENTOS
2024
Nixtamalízaté ¡una nueva filosofia! 2024
Collaborative song. Lyrics, ChatGPT; Music and Vocals, SunoAI; colored pencil drawing, Praba Pilar and DALL-E-2 (background); Prompts, minor audio edits & video compilation, Praba Pilar.
The Nixtamalízaté-té-té collaborations with LLMs, AI companions, and AI generators on methods, procedures, coding, lyrics, songs, and letters that grow technologies of life. Videos, songs, texts, images, and more.
2023
Technologies for Change exhibition at the S/PN Gallery at UT Dallas, January-February 2023. We shared recent work with AI platforms that asks, can AI platforms be collaborators in a social art practice project? Should they be? What are some of the possibilities and limitations? How can they subvert techno-capitalism? Can we co-create a technological pluriverse?
Exposición Technologies for Change [tecnologías para el cambio] en la Galería S/PN en UT Dallas. Compartimos trabajo reciente con plataformas de IA preguntando: ¿pueden las plataformas de IA ser colaboradoras en un proyecto de práctica de arte social? ¿Deberían serlo? ¿Cuáles son algunas de las posibilidades y limitaciones? ¿Cómo pueden subvertir tecnocapitalismo? ¿Podemos co-crear un pluriverso tecnológico?
2022
On April 29, 2022 the Techno-Tamaladas presented a Lightning Talk as part of the 2022 SPARKS discussion: The Future-Past vs. Coloniality: Decolonial Media Art Beyond 530 Years, co-organized by Kathy Rae Huffman and Liliana Conlisk Gallegos and sponsored by the ACM|SIGGRAPH Digital Arts Community Committee.
El 29 de abril de 2022, las Tecno-Tamaladas presentaron una charla como parte de la discusión SPARKS 2022: The Future-Past vs. Coloniality: Decolonial Media Art Beyond 530 Years, coorganizada por Kathy Rae Huffman y Liliana Conlisk Gallegos y patrocinada por ACM| Comité de la Comunidad de Artes Digitales de SIGGRAPH.
charlotte and praba with tamales!
a few of the tamales participants made
participant with her tamal
participant with her tamal
In December of 2022, Charlotte Sáenz and Praba Pilar shared Techno-Tamaladas conceptual tamale making & dialogues in the Friday nights events & activations series at the Oakland Museum of California. The public made conceptual tamales to give away, while dialoguing about future/past frameworks for developing technology. The evening also featured artists workshops with Chris Johnson, xtine burrough, and Judy Walgren, and was a book release for Art as Social Practice: Technologies for Change.
En diciembre de 2022, Charlotte Sáenz y Praba Pilar compartimos tamales conceptuales con el publico, en la serie de eventos y activaciones de los viernes por la noche en el Museo de Oakland de California. El público hizo tamales conceptuales para regalar, mientras dialogábamos sobre marcos del futuro/pasado para el desarrollo de tecnología. La noche también contó con talleres de artistas Chris Johnson, xtine burrough y Judy Walgren, y fue un lanzamiento del libro Art as Social Practice: Technologies for Change [arte como práctica social: tecnologías para el cambio].
One young participant made earrings for all of us. We are not uploading or sharing images of the younger children who participated for privacy reasons (they can’t provide informed consent).
Maximilion DeArmon making their tamal
participant with her tamal
participant making their tamal
Book editor xtine burrough with their tamal
2021
Nixta Valley. Praba Pilar, Lorena Lo Peña, and Cecilia Vilca Ocharan. 2021.
In November of 2021, the Techno-Tamaladas gave away our Techno-Tamales from Nixta Valley ( De Lima, Peru a San Jose, California) at an event at MACLA in San Jose, California. These tamales are part of a series of works created by Peruvian artists Cecilia Vilca and Lorena Lo Peña, and Praba Pilar during MACLA’s Cultura Power Fellowship. Participants who came shared ideas, experiences, dreams, and knowledges of technologies of life. Stories were shared, in Spanish and English, about growing up in MesoAmerica, growing maíz and learning nixtamalization at 6 years of age; of growing up in an Indigenous community and learning to cultivate the three sisters; of desire for a more engaged and joyous technological experience, of mutual aid before, during, and after COVID, of grief and loss, of renewal, of resurgence.
En noviembre de 2021, regalamos nuestros Techno-Tamales de Nixta Valley (De Lima, Perú a San José, California) en un evento en MACLA en San José, California. Estos tamales son parte de una serie de obras creadas por las artistas Peruanas Cecilia Vilca y Lorena Lo Peña, y Praba Pilar durante la Beca Cultura Power de MACLA. Participantes que vinieron compartieron ideas, experiencias, sueños y conocimientos de las tecnologías de la vida. Se compartieron historias, en español e inglés, sobre crecer en Mesoamérica, cultivar maíz y a aprender la nixtamalización a los 6 años de edad; de crecer en una cominidad Indigena y aprender a cultivar a las tres hermanas; del deseo de una experiencia tecnológica más comprometida y alegre, de ayuda mutua antes, durante y después de COVID, de dolor y pérdida, de renovación, de resurgimiento.
In September of 2021, the Techno-Tamaladas participated in Taraneh Hemami’s Green Parcels project, part of the Summer Artist in Residency at Minnesota Street Projects. We created a Nixta Valley tamal that united San Francisco and San Jose in California with Lima, Peru, and elsewhere. This show “connected homes, neighborhoods and communities through collective activities and actions centered on shared knowledge, gardening and storytelling,” included artists Binta Ayofemi, Negar Farajani, Gita Hashemi, and Minoosh Zomorodinia, was held at San Francisco Arts in Education Project Gallery, with exhibition dates Sept 11-25, 2021.
En septiembre de 2021, las Techno-Tamaladas participaron en el proyecto Green Parcels de Taraneh Hemami, parte de su Residencia de Verano en Minnesota Street Projects. Creamos un tamal de Nixta Valle que unió San Francisco y San José en California con Lima, Perú y otros lugares. Este proyecto "conectó hogares, vecindarios y comunidades a través de actividades y acciones colectivas centradas en el conocimiento compartido, la jardinería y la narración de historias", incluyó a artistas Binta Ayofemi, Negar Farajani, Gita Hashemi y Minoosh Zomorodinia, se llevó a cabo en San Francisco Arts in Education Project Gallery, con fechas de exposición del 11 al 25 de septiembre de 2021.
MACLA Cultura Power Fellowship and Guest Artists
Image from Forensic Love and Visceral Data, Cecilia Vilca y Lorena Lo Peña
Las Techno-Tamaladas was awarded the inaugural 2021 Cultura Power Fellowship by MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana. MACLA selected 10 Latinx artists whose work intersects environmental, racial, and social justice, providing support to create new work, deepen bonds among the fellowship cohort, and offer MACLA’s community insight into the artmaking practices of the selected artists. Gracias MACLA!!!
As part of this Fellowship, the Techno-Tamaladas invited artists Cecilia Vilca and Lorena Lo Peña to engage with us over 2021. Based in Lima, Peru, they work together at the intersection of performance, technology, and science. We began meeting online in April of 2021, creating new works and interlaces between our locations and imaginaries - FROM LIMA TO SAN JOSE, to share at MACLA. All in person were cancelled due to new risks presented by COVID-19 variants.
Las Techno-Tamaladas recibió la beca inaugural Cultura Power 2021 de MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana. MACLA seleccionó a 10 artistas latinx cuyo trabajo se cruza con la justicia ambiental, racial y social, brindando apoyo para crear nuevos trabajos, profundizar los lazos entre la cohorte de becas y ofrecer a la comunidad de MACLA una visión de las prácticas artísticas de los artistas seleccionados. Gracias MACLA!!!
Como parte de esta beca, las Techno-Tamaladas invitó a las artistas Cecilia Vilca y Lorena Lo Peña a participar con nosotros durante 2021. Con sede en Lima, Perú, trabajan juntas en la intersección del rendimiento, la tecnología y la ciencia. Comenzamos a reunirnos en línea en abril de 2021, creando nuevas obras y entrelazados entre nuestras ubicaciones e imaginarios - DE LIMA A SAN JOSÉ, para compartir en MACLA. Todos los eventos presenciales se cancelaron debido a nuevos riesgos presentados por las variantes de COVID-19.
WORKSHOP ON TECHNOLOGIES OF LIFE WITH macla’s teen tech center participants
If we think about technology through nixtamalization, what will we make?
Si pensamos en la tecnología a través de la nixtamalización, ¿qué haremos?"
CULTIVATING TECHNO-TAMALADAS
Over the summer of 2021, artist Praba Pilar wrote a book chapter on The Techno-Tamaladas, temporary utopias, and wonder for the forthcoming book Art as Social Practice: Technologies for Change, edited by xtine burrough and Judy Walgren, for Routledge Press.
2021 ONLINE TOURS
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, over 2021 las Techno-Tamaladas toured virtually and dialogued with students, artists, and faculty at the Un/Predictable Environments: Politics, Ecology, Agency conference, co-hosted by UBC-Vancouver, Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Allahabad; and at the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Over the summer of 2021, we began to experiment with doing in person outdoor chats with the San Jose public. We also began planning an in-person tamalada to be held indoors in August. Due to continuing COVID-19 risks, we cannot do in person events indoors. The wildfires in California and the West have also created very unpredictable air quality conditions, which makes outdoor events high risk.
Durante el verano de 2021, comenzamos a experimentar con hacer platicas/charlas al aire libre con el público en San José. También comenzamos a planear una tamalada en Agosto en un espacio adentro. Debido a los riesgos de COVID-19, no podemos hacer eventos adentro. Los incendios forestales en California y la region tambiem hand creado aire contaminado, lo cual pone el publico en riesgo.
2020
LA MILPA EN TIEMPOS DE PANDEMIA - THE MILPA IN PANDEMIC TIMES FROM OAKLAND & OAXACA
How can knowledges of nixtamalization, the milpa, and maize cultures build and nourish resurgence in urban communities, transcend isolation, and reorient our technological imaginaries? Can lessons from the AIDS crisis help us prepare for mounting challenges ahead?
community milpa
In May of 2020, we began a community milpa, cultivating and growing organic corn in Big Daddy’s Rejuvenating Community Garden in Emeryville and in a community garden in Fruitvale, with help from Master Gardener and sculptor Vickie Jo Sowell.
We have had to discontinue the milpa because of the exceptional drought in California.
2020 0NLINE TOURS
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, over 2020 and 2021 the Techno-Tamaladas toured virtually and dialogued with students, artists, and faculty at the State University of New York, Albany; the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada; Pratt Institute and the Latinx Power Conference/NYU in New York City; UT in Dallas, Texas; Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana; and in California to UC Santa Cruz, Cal State East Bay in Hayward, two visits to the California Institute for Integral Studies in San Francisco, and Berkeley City College.
lAS techno-tamaladas in intervenxions, nyu
In October of 2020, the Intervenxions Journal of the Latinx Project at New York University published an essay on the Techno-Tamaladas that explains different aspects of the project, in an issue featuring presenters from The Latinx Project’s 2020 conference, “Latinx Politics — Resistance, Disruption & Power.”
A PDF of the entire issue is available here.
Relaunch, Pro Arts Gallery & COMMONS, Feb 2020
2020 RELAUNCH
We held a Re-Launch of the Techno-Tamaladas at Pro Arts Gallery & Commons (Oakland, California) on Saturday, February 22, 2020 . At this event, we shared information on maize, tamales, tamaladas, and upcoming dates & locations. Charlotte Sáenz shared the technologies of nixtamalization and the milpa, Ben Simmons created media, and we dialogued about technology, maize, community resurgence, and more. Working with Pro Arts Gallery & Commons, over 2020 we planned to host Techno-Tamaladas, performances, video screenings, talks, and more - all of which were postponed indefinitely or cancelled.
2020 postponements AND CANCELLATIONS due to covid-19:
Postponed Indefinitely: Full Tamalada at Providence House, which provides subsidized apartments especially built for people on a fixed income living with HIV/AIDS or other disabilities, downtown Oakland; Full Tamalada at Huerta de Dolores garden of the Cesar Chavez Branch of the Oakland Public Library, Fruitvale, Oakland; and Full Tamalada with POOR MAGAZINE at Homefulness community in East Oakland;
Cancelled: Tamalada performance at Tompkins Square Park, New York City; Participation in Grafters Xchange, Hamilton, New York; Outdoor Tamalada, performances, and video screening, Oscar Grant Plaza, Downtown Oakland; Tamalada in the HASTAC 2020 conference, hosted by the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication at the University of Texas at Dallas.
2019
Techno-Tamaladas, ECAP Food Bank, 2019
The first series of Techno-Tamaladas was held at ECAP Food Bank, 3610 San Pablo Avenue in Emeryville over the summer of 2019, from 11AM - 4PM on Saturday, July 27; Saturday, August 24; and Saturday, Sept 21.
IMAGINE ANOTHER WORLD ** OTRO MUNDO
When doing the Techno-Tamaladas with ECAP food bank on the Emeryville/Oakland border, it became clear that ECAP needed unrestricted cash flow to repair and do maintenance on vehicles, pay for gas to deliver food, and much more so they could continue getting tons of food to low income people weekly. In 2019, the Techno-Tamaladas donated 15% of our grant funds to the organization. Later that year, together with artist Vickie Jo Sowell, we formed an ad hoc fundraising committee. Working with director Bobby Miller, founder Nellie Hansen, and many others including volunteers and Emeryville City Council members, and Vickie’s immense outreach, the ad hoc committee was able to bring in $80,000 in unrestricted cash by the end of December, 2020. This fundraising ad hoc committee continues applying for and securing funding for ECAP.
The Techno-Tamaladas also shares any funding we can with organizations collectively working on Indigenous sovereignty and Black food and land justice. Please visit the imagine page for information on what you can do!
MEDIA COVERAGE
Berkeleyside NOSH article on Techno-Tamaladas, by Alix Wall. August 20, 2019.
Emeryville Eye article on Techno-Tamaladas, by Sarah Lin. August 1, 2019.
