CIMARRONES
Always free
Colaboration with:
#CIMARRONES is a collaboration between the photographer Colombian Laura Hernández (LaotraHernandez) and the Artist plastic Venezuelan Gonzalo Lion
“Cimarrones, Siempre Libres” is a tribute to the memory of thousands of enslaved black people, who carried freedom burning in their hearts. They were called Cimarrones because they were rebellious blacks who refused to be enslaved, even if they had to lose their own lives. The official history of Colombia has erased a part of it and through this work we want to tell it and make it visible, highlighting the collective and individual historical struggles of black people to preserve their identity and humanity.
Author: Manuela Caicedo, anthropologist, poet, rebel and cimarrona from the collective @Entre Cimarronas.
Each photograph in this series addresses a wide range of topics, from political and religious to the meaning of the braids that adorn the heads of those portrayed. These braids, far from being simply aesthetic decorations, are silent but powerful escape maps, visible only to kidnapped and enslaved black men and women who refused to accept a life without freedom in the so-called "new world": The Americas. The braids become symbols of resistance and rebellion, tangible reminders of the determination of those who sought their emancipation.
CIMARRONS
Always free
Desde el principio, la visión para estas fotografías fue clara: quería crear una explosión de color y estilo Pop, porque desde mi perspectiva, el color es libertad. El color es rebeldía, una rebelión contra las restricciones impuestas y un grito de identidad. También es tradición, una herencia vibrante que conecta con nuestras raíces más profundas.
Cada maquillaje fue cuidadosamente diseñado para reflejar esta dualidad. Desde las influencias tradicionales africanas, con sus ricos matices y simbolismos, hasta los tonos y técnicas modernas, buscaba capturar la esencia de la resistencia y la vitalidad. Las flores que adornan cada imagen son un reflejo de esa vida que los cimarrones llevaban consigo al huir. Representan las semillas de esperanza y cultura que sembraban en cada paso, escondidas y protegidas en los misterios de sus trenzas y los pliegues de sus turbantes.
For me, photography is a powerful tool for telling complex stories. These images celebrate both struggle and beauty, paying tribute to the resilience and creativity that flourish even in the darkest times. Each splash of color and detail invites the viewer to immerse themselves in a narrative of freedom and resistance.