IKAM

“Ikam” is a photographic project that delves into the beating heart of the Peruvian jungle, exploring the intricate relationship between the known and the unknown.

“Ikam” is a photographic project that delves into the beating heart of the Peruvian jungle, exploring the intricate relationship between the known and the unknown. Through the lens, an interior journey unfolds that transcends the physical, inviting us to reflect on our own search for meaning in the vast Amazonian territory.

From the first moment in Iquitos, the jungle is presented as a living and pulsating being, an environment that envelops and challenges. The oppressive heat and nature's song create a feeling of sensory overload, a constant reminder that the familiar can become strange. In this landscape of contrasts, the Amazon River emerges as a symbol of mystery, its murky waters hide stories and secrets waiting to be revealed.

The encounter with the indigenous community, where work and dance are intertwined in a shared effort, offers a window into a way of life that, although distant, resonates deep in our humanity. As communities fade into the jungle, there is an impression of longing, of a place that feels both strange and familiar.

“Ikam” is more than a visual narrative, it is a call to embrace the unknown that lives within the known. It is a tribute to the jungle and reminding us that the journey into the unknown is, ultimately, a journey towards ourselves. It invites us to leave our certainties behind and enter the horizon of new possibilities.

Photo editor: Arturo Cañedo

"It makes me think of the beginning of something, of a new opportunity. A little girl who enters an unknown world full of mysteries. A young future that accompanies the broken sky and the agile river that, with playful and ghostly steps, marks the impassive and fleeting (re)start of a life. One that inhabits a place kind enough to heal the wounds and allow the girl to flow along the river, feel her wet feet and let the icy current take care of the fear. The landscapes form a path: they direct the little girl in an exact but unknown direction. They lead her into the impatient search for something she does not know. What awaits her at the end of the path? Does she know what she really wants? Does that worry her? Are she afraid? What scares her? What happens if she stays? Why does she want to leave? Where does she want to go? Some doubts arise about the destiny that the girl has chosen and that is in her own hands. One in which with wet feet she will be able to take the courage to grab the water with her own hands and choose what is best for her. The sun goes down and the darkness wants to witness that courage that she thought was lost a long time ago. The black and white allows us to focus on the girl, prevents us from losing sight of her value, her journey and her decision. The contrast of the extreme and dark trees with the white and agile sky highlights that mysterious search that produces a clear duality between the earthly and the spiritual. Between life and death. The possible and the desirable. What is aspired to. A path to accompany the little unknown girl and immerse ourselves with her in that promising, but uncertain world. That promises to treat us with the softness of the clouds and the lightness of water, but that, at the end of it all, ensures that she will be taken care of."

Victoria Vives