Research & Inquiry
Art as a Form of Knowing
Navolé investigates the intersections of creative practice, ecological knowledge, and cultural memory in the Galápagos.
Why We Research
At Navolé, research is not separate from making — it is the foundation of it. We believe that artists, when given time and rigorous support, produce forms of knowledge that science and history alone cannot. Our research programs bring together practitioners from visual art, music, dance, literature, and ecology to investigate questions that matter to the Galápagos and to the world.
Our investigations are long-form, community-rooted, and open to unexpected outcomes. We publish findings through exhibitions, performances, publications, and public events — and we share our methodologies openly with other cultural institutions in the region.
Research Projects
Music & Sound
2024 – ongoing
Sonic Ecologies of Santa Cruz
A multi-year field recording and composition project mapping the acoustic environment of Santa Cruz Island — from marine soundscapes to community festivals. Conducted in collaboration with local musicians and marine biologists.
Visual Arts
2025 – ongoing
Visual Vocabularies of the Intertidal Zone
An ongoing studio investigation into how painters and printmakers respond to the Galápagos coastline. Artists work directly from the intertidal zone, developing a shared visual language rooted in close ecological observation.
Dance & Movement
2025 – ongoing
Dance, Territory, and Memory
A choreographic research project exploring how movement traditions — Afro-Latin dance, ritual, and improvisation — encode cultural memory and relationship to land. Developed with community dancers in Puerto Ayora.
Literature & Archive
2022 – 2024
Oral Histories of the Colonization Period
A two-year project collecting and transcribing oral histories from long-term Galápagos residents. The resulting archive is held at the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana — Núcleo de Galápagos and has been adapted into a published anthology.
Our Approach
How We Work
Long-form inquiry
We commit to multi-year investigations rather than short-term projects. Depth over breadth — always.
Community authorship
Research is co-developed with Galápagos residents, not conducted on them. Local voices shape the questions, methods, and outcomes.
Interdisciplinary dialogue
We bring artists and scientists into genuine conversation — not as decoration for each other, but as co-investigators with different and complementary tools.
Open dissemination
Findings are shared publicly through exhibitions, performances, publications, and open-access archives. Knowledge made here belongs to the community.
Collaborate With Us
We welcome proposals from researchers, artists, and institutions interested in co-developing investigations rooted in the Galápagos. Get in touch to discuss a collaboration.