The inaugural edition of HAWAPI took place in Cerro de Pasco, a remote mining town approximately 4500 metres above sea level in the Peruvian Andes. Dominated by a continually expanding open pit mine that has gradually devoured almost the entire historic center of the town, Cerro de Pasco has spent its entire history in a complex struggle between economic reliance on the mine and the disastrous environmental and public health problems it creates.

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Cerro de Pasco is one of the towns most affected by the mining activity in Peru. It is impossible to visit this place and not react in some way to the sight of the enormous void that is the open pit that year after year is evicting the population and consuming more and more of the city. And it is not only the pollution and the social problems that make Cerro de Pasco an inhospitable place, there’s also the harsh climate and extreme altitude. It was under these conditions that the first edition of HAWAPI was took place.

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Over the course of ten days in July 2012 the group of 15 participants created over 25 public works in and around the town of Cerro de Pasco including installations, performances and murals. Several of these works can still be seen today and have been actively protected by the local community.

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The subsequent exhibition was held in the 80m2 art space in Lima and was presented along with a 13 minute film documenting the activities of the Cerro de Pasco residency.

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