Photo Journal Monday: Marco Garro
The Gold We inherited, the Gold of Our Dreams © Marco Garro
Writing and Photographs by Marco Garro
The Gold We Inherit, the Gold of Our Dreams
Gold has fascinated humankind for millennia. Ancient civilizations across the world saw the powerful sun in its yellow glow and sought immortality in its lasting shine. Pre-Columbian Peruvian societies used gold, symbolizing divine authority, in sacred ceremonies as early as 2000 BC. In the 16th century, Spanish conquerors took tons of gold from Incan temples to Europe, introducing it as a currency. Today, Peru remains one of the biggest suppliers of gold. Global gold demand from financial traders, technology companies, and the jewelry industry supports both legal and illegal miners in the country. Hundreds of thousands of Peruvians now make their living through gold mining, providing export earnings for the state, but also fueling environmental destruction.
The Gold We inherited, the Gold of Our Dreams © Marco Garro
This project is an exploration of the allure of gold over the centuries in Peru. As the Italian historian Antonello Gerbi once noted, long before man ever set foot on South America, the future of Peru was written in the ore embedded in its earth. Gold continues to fuel our dreams, shaping events, and reflecting our values and desire.
The Gold We inherited, the Gold of Our Dreams © Marco Garro
I originally envisioned bright photographs for this project, to mimic the sun-like quality of gold. But I ended up being drawn to the darkness surrounding gold’s glow, that hints at the mystery, greed, and violence associated with it over time. That, too, is part of Peru’s gold legacy. The glimpse of flickering light in the darkness, the promise of wealth for anyone willing to grasp at it.
The Gold We inherited, the Gold of Our Dreams © Marco Garro
