Carlos explores the hidden journey behind an orange
An orange seems like an everyday product. Something you buy at the supermarket without giving it much thought. Carlos Colás González sees it differently. For his ArtEZ finals project in BEAR Fine Art, he traces the journey of the fruit. From orchard to kitchen table.
The people behind the fruit
With his project Orangeland. Chapter 3 & 4: Import & Consumption, Carlos investigates the hidden networks behind global trade. He focuses on the final stages of the supply chain: distribution and consumption. Who makes it possible for an orange from Egypt, South Africa or Peru to eventually end up in Arnhem? And whose labour remains unseen along the way?
The city as an archive
For this research, Carlos uses discarded orange crates collected in Arnhem. The boxes function as a kind of archive of global trade. Through information about their origins, distribution marks and other traces, he examines how different places are connected. At the same time, he reveals the often invisible labour that underpins these global supply chains.
Experience it for yourself
Alongside his exhibition, Carlos will present the performances Sit & Sip and Formes de menjar la taronja (Ways of Eating the Orange) during ArtEZ finals. Developed together with Ana Arbona Bolufer and Eva Arbona Bolufer, these performances place the orange centre stage not only as a traded commodity, but also as a carrier of habits, memories and cultural traditions. In doing so, Carlos shows how an everyday piece of fruit is connected to a global network of trade, labour and consumption.
On view from 1-4 July 2026 at ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem.
