Aliens Institute is a collective constituted by Maria Adelaida Samper and Gabriel Zea, based in Bogotá, Colombia. They have worked in the field of contemporary art for several years, within the framework of critical theory, understanding artistic practices as an experimental production of knowledge and theory. Their research materializes in various formats, such as exhibitions, podcasts, and events, aiming to open the imagination towards novel ways of agency with matter.

The project “Contra-hegemonía mágica” (Magic as counterhegemony) aims to research and experiment with magical practices from three Colombian regions, understanding them as antihegemonic technologies. This project examines how magical knowledge can inform artistic strategies that aim towards reconciliation between humans and non-humans, re-enchanting fractured relationships with our territory. Contra-hegemonía mágica is structured into three phases: theoretical research, fieldwork exploring rituals and narratives alongside local communities, and a four-week participatory residency at Platohedro. The findings of the process will be transformed into a series of podcasts, critical cartographies, ritual objects, blockchain-based smart (magical) contracts, and a series of collaborative events and actions during the residency at Platohedro. Ultimately, an analog and digital publication will be produced, aiming to serve as a toolbox for thinking with the insights gained from this research. The entire process is guided by an ethics of horizontality and anti-extractivist collaboration, focusing on developing replicable methodologies and intercultural dialogue tools. Ultimately, this project aims to embody fairer forms of inter-species and inter-entities communication by integrating magic, art, technology, and place-based knowledge.