archaeography

July 2006.

The main figure is a hydroelectric power station from the late 19th century, abandoned during the 1950s – the hydroelectric power station of the Segade chute (Pontevedra, Spain). By recovering the memory of this industrial heritage, a dialogue is established between art, industry and territory. The installation is devised as a site specific intervention in the rooms of the town archive of Caldas de Reis. Through tens of photographs of the power station, the sound of the waterfall at high volume, three videos with different shots of water in motion, and six files with photographs and written documents, different issues are raised, such as the culture of water and its use; the recognition and concept of industrial archaeology in Spain today; the problem of the use of water as a source of energy and its impact on the environment; and, lastly, the history of the power station itself and its surroundings – the town of Caldas de Reis.