“El Cartel de la Coca” originates from a sharp linguistic play on words deeply rooted in the Colombian context. Globally, the word “coca” is stigmatized, synonymous with the illicit white powder and drug cartels that have long shadowed the nation’s reputation. However, locally, a “coca” is simply the humble plastic container or lunchbox used by the working class to transport their daily meals.
This project reclaims the narrative, shifting focus from a history of conflict to an intimate visual typology of daily labor. By documenting the contents of these containers, the work opens a sociological dialogue about nutrition, the unintentional aesthetics of “plating” in confined spaces, and the realities of food waste.
Ultimately, “El Cartel de la Coca” challenges the viewer to look past the stereotype, revealing that the true “daily grind” of Colombia is defined not by trafficking, but by the honest, diverse, and resilient contents of the worker’s lunchbox.