Khoka Project: Re-imagining the Coca Plant at the Intersection of Art, Science, and Technology

Transcript Abstract

The Khoka Project is a transdisciplinary initiative that seeks to understand the coca plant through its own agency. By approaching the plant as an active subject, the project delves into its botanical, chemical, historical, and cultural dimensions. Through innovative methodologies, it emphasizes technology as an essential tool for generating and socially appropriating knowledge.

This presentation will chart the project’s evolution, highlighting the journeys, collaborations, and diverse voices that have shaped its trajectory. At the heart of the project lies a coca garden, conceived as a living archive. This garden has inspired artistic practices, the creation of a comprehensive book on the coca plant’s history, and an itinerant exhibition designed to sensitize audiences to its inherent beauty.

Over a decade of research has yielded significant insights, which will be shared during the presentation. Central to this effort is the creation of the Khoka Archive—an interactive data visualization tool that consolidates the extensive body of knowledge gathered throughout the project. Attendees will be invited to engage with the Archive and immerse themselves in the historical, geographical, and cultural contexts of four distinct coca varieties. To enrich this experience, the presentation will feature a series of mini-documentaries that bring the stories of these coca varieties to life.

The presentation will conclude by identifying opportunities for future research. By pinpointing critical gaps in the current understanding of the coca plant, the project aims to inspire new lines of inquiry and transformative investigations that uncover the plant’s untapped potential for humanity. Through these efforts, the Khoka Project aspires to construct powerful narratives grounded in knowledge and the beauty of the plant’s iconography, challenging entrenched imaginaries and contributing to the revalorization of the coca plant.