Os fantasmas da Colonialidade que assombram a América Latina: Interdisciplinaridade e Estudos Culturais no Gótico Tropical de Mariana Enriquez e Carlos Mayolo

Abstract

The objective of this research is to investigate tropical Gothic as a tool for denunciation and resistance in Latin America, through the works “Our share of night” by Mariana Enriquez and “Bloody Flesh” by Carlos Mayolo. Tropical Gothic is a branch of Gothic art that addresses the specificities of Latin America, incorporating geographical, historical, and cultural aspects of the country in which it was produced, in this case, Argentina and Colombia. For this reason, it is considered an important approach to identify multiple forms of violence that Latin American peoples still face, as well as the ways in which they resist and survive. The work mainly discusses aspects related to wealthy families and their role in maintaining coloniality. Thus, I argue that Eurocentrism and coloniality are important points for analysis, since these families perpetuate themselves in power through violence in different periods: colonization of the Global South, death and theft of indigenous lands, theft of peasant lands, exploitation of workers, and, currently, the maintenance of coloniality in Latin America. This research develops from an interdisciplinary perspective of Cultural Studies and engages with Decolonial Studies and Community Feminism. Among the authors cited are: Douglas Kellner (2001), Raymond Williams (2015), Néstor García Canclini (2019), Aníbal Quijano (2005a, 2005b), María Lugones (2008), Breny Mendoza (2014, 2021), Rita Segato (2012, 2014, 2019), Julieta Paredes (2015), and Lorena Cabnal (2019). It concludes that Enriquez and Mayolo explicitly depict these forms of violence in their works; however, the comparative aspects are not limited to aesthetic dimensions alone. In “Our share of night” and “Bloody Flesh” the greatest similarity found in the reproduction of violence occurs through landowning elites seeking to differentiate themselves through a long and “special” lineage. It is hoped that this study will contribute to interdisciplinary discussions involving the themes presented here.