Simón Ballen Botero

Department: Man and Well being
Website: www.simonballen.com

SUELO ORFEBRE

WHAT
A community-based project that constructs new values by transforming a waste product from gold mining into glass objects.

WHY
Lured to the Americas by tales of El Dorado, conquistadors exploited the gold mines of Colombia for centuries. Gold is still central to the identity of the community in the Marmato region. To reduce the environmental impact of mining, ‘Suelo Orfebre’ uses Jagua, a waste product currently discarded into the rivers.

HOW
Together with the community, Colombian designer Simon Ballen built an oven and used Jagua to produce glass objects in moulds built from the surroundings. The results offer a catalogue of possibilities for the social and economic benefit of the local community.

QUOTE
Making glass from the land of gold.