SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, over Metlac Bridge (Puente de Metlac), 2011

Artists and brothers Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene were the masterminds responsible for SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe project. SEFT-1 or Sonda de Exploración Ferroviaria Tripulada was an interactive, interdisciplinary art project that explored disused railway lines and their historical importance, as well as their social implications.

As a road and rail vehicle, the creation by Mexican artists, who collectively went by the name of Los Ferronautas was designed to explore the uninhibited and abandoned railways of Ecuador and Mexico. Throughout the journey, SEFT-1 captured videos, photos and even collected various objects. The interactive art project did an excellent job of exploring the human patterns of technological dependence, the end result of which appeared to be both a utility and waste.

Inside the SEFT-1

Interior of cabin of SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene

Close-up of Interior of cabin of SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene

As a car that could be operated on both rails and land, SEFT-1 was fitted with audiovisual equipment that enabled the recording of the surrounding area and its infrastructure throughout the length of its passage. Some of the components it recorded include interviews of villagers walking the track, and so on.

The information collected would then be shared on www.seft1.net, a website that gave users access to the SEFT-1’s condition and its location. Users could also take a look at the probe’s geopositioning route maps, contextual data created by the research team, as well as videos of the vehicle’s journey. Aside from being broadcast on the website, the data gathered was also showed in some of the towns and cities that the probe passed through.

The purpose of its creation

In the 2nd half of the 19th century, the Mexican government underwent a developmental phase that saw it partnering up with British construction companies. The partnership intended to see the construction of a railway line that would link Mexico City with the Atlantic Ocean. Today, that iconic infrastructure remains in ruins primarily due to the privatization of the railway’s system that occurred in 1995.

The SEFT-1 was therefore designed and created to highlight the geographical and economic consequences of an infrastructure that was left to rot. The brothers, aka Los Ferronautas who derived their name from ferrocarriles which translates to railway in Spanish, designed the vehicle so that they could investigate what they termed as a misuse of common resources and abuse of political responsibility and power. Both brothers used the SEFT-1 investigating notions and promises of development and progress.

Video

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, in front of Citlaltépetl

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, in la Loma station in Lerdo, Durango

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, in Marte

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, in Salinera las Coloradas Yucatan

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, under the stars of Taviche

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, video still

SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe by Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene, Yuhualixqui volcano

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