Bolivia is a country of physical wonders. The Valle de la Luna, the mines of Potosí, the depths of the Amazon – the appearances of these places can collectively best be described as otherworldly. Even the altitudes at which many of its citizens live, and the climates they face, reach extreme levels not found anywhere else. Being in Bolivia can often be confusing and dissonant, as the mind can sometimes struggle to take in what is before the senses. In Bolivia, the very real world can seem surreal.

For her article ‘The Unearthly Beauty of the Salar’,  Flossie Wildblood visited the vast expanse of the Salar de Uyuni, the strangest physical region in Bolivia, and arguably in Latin America. This place, the world’s largest salt flat, has more curiosities to offer visitors beyond vast, white, grainy plains. A railroad graveyard, volcanic landforms and thermal lakes provide equally curious locales. The Salar is also home to the Salvador Dalí Desert, a small area with rock towers reminiscent of images from the painter’s work. The resemblance of this place to his work has led some to believe that the Spanish surrealist was inspired by these Bolivian formations.

In this issue of Bolivian Express, our team used the idea of the surreal as a lens to explore many corners of Bolivia. In addition to the Salar, we traveled into the unconscious, showing connections between the ideas of Sigmund Freud, no stranger to coca and cocaine, to Bolivia’s most important crop. We look into what can be described as Bolivian altered states of consciousness, from the experience of taking sedentary journeys with ayahausca and absinthe to the horrifying practice of entombing oneself in an elephant cemetery, where the darkest of alcoholics condemn themselves to a death by drinking.

We discovered in our work the prevalence of surrealism in Bolivia’s creative endeavours. Although there may not be a large, formal surrealist movement here, there are in fact examples of this approach across literature, cinema, theatre and the visual arts. We talked with artists who are quietly toiling across the country to introduce aesthetics of the subconscious and the absurdity of life into their work.

Surrealism is a complex idea. It can take you to strange and wonderful new places within your own mind. Seeing our surroundings in a new way, in a manner that is perhaps more internal than external, can lead to new understandings of ourselves and our connections to the world. Whether it is through visiting strange physical spaces, seeking out understandings of the seemingly strange ways people navigate their lives, or through the breaking down of artistic inhibitions, seeing the surreal inevitably leads to self-reflection. One just needs to begin the journey. Come with us and see what we discover.