Carlos Alfonso, Mundos Mutuos

Carlos Alfonso is interested in framing counter-knowledge in the form of anecdotes, narratives and oralities from an anthropological and speculative approach. His body of work engages with writing, cooking, image-making, installation and editorial practices as ways of spreading information and echoing collective constructs.

In 2020, the artist published the book Mundo Mutuos. La Cocina Como Taller with anthropologist Cristina Consuegra, an in-depth look at the act of cooking and eating with others, also conceived as an open field for the exchange of knowledge surrounding culinary processes, agriculture, cultural history and the ecology of food. In this process, the artist’s goal goes beyond simple visual representation. It’s about reimagining the subject in a poetic way, revealing the connections to the local biodiversity, the relationship between people and the surrounding plant life, and the shared vocabulary that names the food sourced from this environment. These illustrations act as a bridge to other narratives. They aim to connect with various dimensions, evolving as we plant, prepare, and enjoy our meals. These actions, deeply personal yet universally resonant, have the power to transform both the landscape and our perception of it, all the while we relish our culinary delights.

Selection of drawings Mundos Mutuos for the book Mundos Mutuos, la cocina como taller, 2020. Book co-authored with Cristina Consuegra and published by Editorial Cajón de Sastre in Bogotá, Colombia. Courtesy of the artist.

A selection of drawings from this series is included in OBRA 03, On paper.