La Pincoya was dancing here, Chile

2025

Paulina Tamara Cid

Cid explores the role of the cochayuyo in both nature and mythology along the coast of

Chile. In Chilean folklore, this powerful kelp is more than just a plant. It is considered a gift

from the sea, a link between humans and the spirits of the sea. In the myths, figures such

as La Pincoya, a mermaid who dances on the beach and decides whether the sea should

be generous or not. Her movements are linked to the rhythm of the ocean current, and

the wavy shapes of the cochayuyo can be interpreted as traces of her dance.

Through the image of the cochayuyo's shapes and texture, these myths are highlighted in

a contemporary artistic light. The meandering, almost bodily lines of the seaweed become

metaphors for invisible connections between worlds, nature and spirit, past and present,

man and sea.

The goal is to create a visual journey where the organic material opens up space for

reflection: how nature's material expression can contain memories of myths, and how old

stories still make sense in questions of identity, sustainability and belonging.

ko-tʃa-ʝu-ʝo