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bibliography
catlogos
Pollcn, Fxhibition cataloguc.
Fxtcnso do olhar Fxtcnsion o
thc cyc,
a visual anthology o thc portu
gucsc comtcnporary Photography,
obras da colcco PIM, Assrio c
Alvim, 2004
Iuzboa a artc da luz cm Iisboa,
FxtraMuros, Fxhibition cataloguc.
Iisbon Photo 2003 Passagcns, Asa.
R62002, lvaro Roscndo, Lanicl
Malho, Hugo Canoilas, Nuno
Ccra, Rodrigo Tavarcla, Pcdro Liniz
Rcis, Fxhibition cataloguc.
ovcns Criadorcs dois mil c trcs,
Fxhibition cataloguc.
Corpo Fast Forward, cdio Nmc
roMagazincPorto2001
Ar.co bolsciros c nalistas 2000,
Fxhibition cataloguc.
Ar.co bolsciros c nalistas 1:::,
Fxhibition cataloguc.
imprensa
I+artc, n0:, Fcvcrciro 2005,
Uma Fxtcnso do olhar, pp 30.
Magazinc das artcs, n 25, anciro
2005, pp 46
Fxprcsso, Cclso Martins, Actual,
1S122004
Pblico, Nuno Passos, Iocal
Minho, 14122002
Notcias Magazinc, 02012005
Pblico, Iusa Soarcs dc Olivcira
,Mil Folhas, 06122003
net
www.anmncsc.pt
RodRigo TavaRela PeixoTo
exposies individuais
Fotograa II, Sala Pahldata, Iis
boa, Abrill (Individual), 2005
Fotograa, Politccnica 3S, Iisboa,
Novcmbro (Individual), 2004
rcmapingArcos Casa das Artcs,
Arcos dc Valdcvcz Lczcmbro
(Individual), 2002
exposies colectivas
(seleco)
2007
R6V2, LMF, Iisboa unho
Ushakovskoyc, Fspao Avcnida,
Iisboa unho
Out To Punch. ISFC, Iisboa Abril
21 Fotograas numa matinc.
Iniciativa LOZF, Iisboa, Fcvrciro
12 Mupis na Cidadc, Iniciativa
LOZF, Iisboa anciro
2006
Pollcn , Rua das Florcs 61, Porto
Outubro
Lozc otograas numa Caixa
Iniciativa LOZF, Iisboa Maro
Mostra dc Trabalhos, Fundao
Caloustc Culbcnkian, Iisboa
anciro
2005
Uma cxtcnso do Olhar Fxtcn
sion o thc cyc, Colcco PIM,
CAV, Coimbra, anciro
My Own Privatc Picturcs Ima
gcns Privadas
Plataorma Rcvolvcr, Iisboa ulho.
Maus Hbitos, Porto Sctcmbro.
Young Crcators o Furopc and
Mcditcrrancan Bicnnalc, Castlc o
St Flmo, Naplcs, Italy, Scptcmbcr
percurso acadmico
2005 Curso dc Fotograa do Pro
grama Culbcnkian dc Criatividadc
c Criao Artstica
2004 3 ano do Curso dc Ccograa
da Faculdadc dc Ictras da Univcrsi
dadc dc Iisboa.
2001 Concluso da asc dc Projcc
to Individual no Ar.Co
1999 Concluso do Curso
Avanado
dc Fotograa no Ar.Co,
Bolsa da Fundao IusoAmcrica
na (FIAL)
na School o Visual Arts, NY, USA
outras actividades
artsticas
2006 Mcnbro do Colcctivo dc
Fotgraos LOZF
2005 Lcscnho dc Iluminao no
Filmc dc Susana Nobrc Fstados
da Matcria
1:
20
v=t::zts= =sf= tNo, aps signicativa rcnovao dos
cstatutos quc rcgulam o Prcmio, a sctima cdio do Prc
mio Novos Artistas FLP. No podc dcixar dc tcr um sig
nicado cspccial cstc nmcro dc cdics dc uma iniciativa
cultural quc, ao longo dos anos, ocupou sctc dicrcntcs
cspaos nacionais c aprcscntou 2: artistas.
O Prcmio FLP Novos Artistas oi cstabclccido cm 2000,
ainda cm asc dc constituio da prpria Fundao FLP.
Os primciros dcstcs prcmios tinham carctcr dc nomc
ao dirccta por um jri nacional, c oram succssivamcntc
atribudos a oana Vasconcclos (2000), Iconor Antuncs
(2001) c Vasco Arajo (2002).
oana Vasconcclos ocupou o bclssimo cspao do cdi
cio da Carpintaria, situado no campus da Ccntral Tcjo, cm
Iisboa, com uma cxposio individual quc, cnto, cabia ao
vcnccdor rcalizar. Nas duas scguintcs atribuics, as cx
posics rcalizaramsc no Muscu Nacional dc Artc Antiga
c na Socicdadc Nacional dc BclasArtcs, cm Iisboa.
Fstcs trcs artistas prcmiados cncontravamsc cm in
cio dc carrcira, mas com uma imagcm j sucicntcmcntc
cstabilizada para podcrcm scr dcsaados a rcalizar uma
cxposio individual com um catlogo dcscnvolvido, accs
so a inmcros rccursos dc produo c cm locais dc grandc
rcsponsabilidadc c prcstgio nos mcios cspccializados. F
c incgvcl quc o pcrcurso nacional c, signicativamcntc,
intcrnacional dc qualqucr um dcstcs artistas sc dcscnvol
vcu c aproundou dcpois dcstas atribuics.
O mcsmo acontcccu aos artistas prcmiados nos anos
scguintcs, cuja nomcao rcsultou dc uma prounda al
tcrao do rcgulamcnto do Prcmio. Assim, cntrc 2003
c 2005, os cstatutos cstabclcccram a cxistcncia dc um
comissariado nacional c dc um jri intcrnacional, indc
pcndcntcs cntrc si. Ao primciro atribuiusc a tarca da
sclcco dos participantcs numa cxposio, c ao scgundo
a nomcao do vcnccdor.
A prospcco oi rcalizada tcndo cm conta a cxpcricncia
individual dc cada comissrio c a rcalidadc da produo
nacional cmcrgcntc. Fstc acto cz com quc os artistas
sclcccionados (quc scgundo o rcgulamcnto dcvcriam scr
cntrc 6 c :) vicsscm maioritariamcntc dc ambicntcs cs
colarcs ou tivcsscm apcnas iniciado a sua scparao da
Fscola. Fm ncnhum momcnto a idadc civil dos artistas
oi tida cm conta na sclcco, mas sim o momcnto da
carrcira cm quc sc cncontravam.
A cxposio rcsultantc tambcm nunca oi cntcndida
como uma simplcs rcunio dc linguagcns individuais.
O trabalho dc comissariado implicou um acompanha
mcnto por partc dc cada comissrio c um dilogo cntrc
os dicrcntcs participantcs na cscolha dos cspaos c na
articulao das obras cntrc si. O rcsultado oi scmprc o
SoBRe a STiMa edio do PRMio edP NovoS aRTiSTaS
dc cxposics fuidas (mcsmo quando alguns artistas sc
aprcscntaram cm cspaos mais individualizados), o aas
tamcnto da idcia dc uma montagcm dc cira dc artc, ou
scja, por stands autnomos, c com a ambio dc alcanar
uma imagcm divcrsa mas cocsa.
Ncsta ctapa, a Fundao FLP atribuiu ao vcnccdor um
montantc cm dinhciro, mcdiantc a aprcscntao dc um
projccto dc trabalho ou dc cstudo considcrado vlido.
O objcctivo dcstc proccdimcnto parccc claro tanto do
ponto dc vista ctico como do pcdaggico. artistas cm
incio dc carrcira tomam contacto com as diculdadcs c
modalidadcs dc produo dc obras para uma cxposio
a rcalizar cm instituics dc prcstgio, com os prazos dc
cntrcga dc matcriais c organizao dc transportcs c sc
guros, pcrccbcndo as ctapas dc acompanhamcnto dos
catlogos da cxposio, dos mccanismos dc divulgao
das obras, ctc., c justicam o Prcmio rcccbido invcstindo
na sua carrcira.
O acto dc cada uma das trcs cxposics rcalizadas dc
acordo com cstc scgundo modclo tcr tido lugar cm insti
tuics to prcstigiadas c rcsponsvcis por cstatutos dc
consagrao muscolgica como scjam o Muscu dc Scr
ralvcs (Porto, 2003), o Ccntro Cultural dc Bclcm (Iisboa,
2004) ou, nalmcntc (2005), o Pavilho Ccntro dc Por
tugal, cm Coimbra (gcrido pcla Fundao dc Scrralvcs),
lanou os dados dc uma polcmica quc sc oi csvaziando.
Lc acto, nunca sc tratou dc consagrar a priori ncnhum
artista, ncm dc o azcr csqucccr o lugar ondc sc cncon
trava, infacionando o scu valor crtico. A participao
dos rcsponsvcis pcla programao das instituics como
comissrios (rcspcctivamcntc oo Fcrnandcs, Lclm
Sardo c dc novo oo Fcrnandcs), habituados a dialogar
com artistas cmcrgcntcs c com artistas crtica c histori
camcntc cstabclccidos, ao invcs, rcorou a garantia dc
quc os limitcs dc razoabilidadc nunca scriam ultrapassa
dos, quc ncnhuma prcsso dcspropositada scria cxcrcida
sobrc os media ncm sobrc o mcrcado, quc os objcctivos
pcdaggicos da iniciativa sc mantcriam.
Ncssc scntido actuou tambcm cada um dos jris in
tcrnacionais das cdics cm causa (intcgrando nomcs
dc protagonismo cou prcstgio garantido como Marta
Kusma ou Adriano Pcdrosa, Inakc Martncz ou Paulo Rcis
c, cstc ano, Adan Budak c Claudc Bussac), ao prcmiar,
cm anos scqucnciais, Carlos Bunga, a dupla oo Maria
CusmoPcdro Paiva c oo Iconardo. Apcsar dc tcr dc
corrido succssivamcntc mcnos tcmpo (4 a 2 anos) para
a vcricao da consagrao das carrciras dc cada um
dclcs, c cvidcntc o accrto das cscolhas, por vczcs imc
diatamcntc rcfcctidas cm cscolhas intcrnacionais, por
vczcs tambcm imcdiatamcntc rcfcctidas cm pcrcursos
21
dc ormao intcrnacional complcmcntar, com artistas
a vivcr pcrmancntcmcntc no cstrangciro cou a a tcrcm
uma agcnda dc cxposics cada vcz mais prccnchida.
A cdio dc 2007 signicou uma nova rcmodclao do
Prcmio. Mantcndo tudo o quc zcra o cxito das cdics
antcriorcs, a cscolha individual dos mcmbros do comis
sariado oi cnriquccida pcla introduo dc um concurso
dc mbito nacional, abcrto a todos os participantcs cm
condics dc cumprircm o rcgulamcnto do Prcmio. A rcs
posta oi incspcradamcntc vasta c rica, com quasc quatro
ccntcnas dc portlios rcccbidos. Alcanar o nmcro dc
novc participacs (o mximo pcrmitido pclos cspaos,
oramcntos dc produo c rcgulamcntos) oi assim no
apcnas obrigatrio como uma das mais diccis tarcas
do comissariado. Aproundando cxpcricncias antcriorcs,
cscolhcusc um otgrao (Rodrigo Pcixoto), capaz no
apcnas dc ilustrar a montagcm das obras no cspao, mas
dc rcalizar um vcrdadciro cnsaio otogrco sobrc o pro
ccsso dc montagcm c criao das pcas cm cxposio.
Scm nos dcscjarmos adiantar ao cxito cspcrado da prc
scntc cdio, dircmos quc o acto dc sc voltar a rcalizar na
cidadc do Porto, cm histricas instalacs da FLP (a no
tvcl Ccntral do Frcixo, com instalacs dcscnhadas pclo
arquitccto anurio Codinho nos anos 60) como a quc,
na Ccntral Tcjo, cm Iisboa, inaugurou a scric, cm 2000
ou, nalmcntc, o acto dc aprcscntar uma divcrsidadc dc
obras c cspaos nunca vcricada lhc concrir ccrtamcntc
uma incspcrada complcxidadc. O panorama da rcalidadc
criativa dc cada conjuntura, quc cstc Prcmio prctcndc, cm
simultnco, obscrvar, intcgrar c moldar, rcsultar assim
ncsta cdio altamcntc cnriquccido.
Ao longo das sctc cdics quc cstc tcxto vcm pcrcor
rcndo, no oi apcnas a rcalidadc nacional quc sc altcrou,
ncm oi apcnas a iniciativa da Fundao FLP quc ajudou a
altcrar cssa rcalidadc. Tambcm a cxpcricncia dcrivada da
sua promoo c organizao, os modos dc uncionamcnto
intcrno, a dinmica do capital humano cmpcnhado, a
sua cccia tccnica c a prpria cultura dc cmprcsa dc
quc a Fundao c hojc garantc c rcntc dc armao sc
altcraram, crcsccndo c cnriqucccndo.
Conrontados com scnsibilidadcs c linguagcns to
talmcntc novas no univcrso dc uma cmprcsa cujo
campo dc intcrvcno, no cntanto, sc situa no ccrnc
da rcalidadc quotidiana dos cidados, os quc oram
lidando com os tcmas dcrivados dcstas c dc outras ini
ciativas artsticas (cxposics, itincrncias, aquisics
para colcco, publicacs, ctc.) accrtaram c apuraram
instrumcntos dc pcrccpo crtica quc colocam hojc a
FLP, atravcs da sua Fundao, ao nvcl das cntidadcs
nacionais quc dc modo mais gil, ccaz c conscicntc
participam c lidcram a produo c diuso da artc con
tcmpornca cm Portugal.
FUNLAAO FLP
22
fH= icc; =uv N=v tvf:sfs vv:z= is thc rst to takc
placc sincc a signicant rcnovation o its statutcs. Tc
act that this cultural cvcnt has, ovcr thc ycars, occu
picd scvcn dicrcnt Portugucsc cxhibitivc spaccs and
prcscntcd 2: artists whilc rcaching its 7
th
cdition cannot
ail to hold a spccial mcaning.
Tc FLP Ncw Artists Prizc was crcatcd in 2000, whilc
thc FLP Foundation itscl was still bcing cstablishcd. Tc
rst thrcc Prizcs wcrc dircctly awardcd by a jury o Portu
gucsc spccialists, and wcnt to oana Vasconcclos (2000),
Iconor Antuncs (2001) and Vasco Arajo (2002).
oana Vasconcclos occupicd thc magniccnt spacc o
thc Carpcntry building, part o thc prcmiscs o Ccntral
Tcjo, in Iisbon, with a solo show that, at thc timc, was
organiscd by thc winncr. Tc Iconor Antuncs and Vasco
Arajo shows also took placc in Iisbon, rcspcctivcly at
Muscu Nacional dc Artc Antiga and Socicdadc Nacional
dc BclasArtcs.
Although thcsc thrcc rst awardwinncrs wcrc all at thc
start o thcir carccrs, thcir work was alrcady sucicntly
wcllknown or thcm to bc ablc to takc on thc challcngc
o prcscnting a solo show with an claboratc cataloguc,
important production mcans and on a prcstigious loca
tion. And it is also undcniablc that thc carccrs o all o
thc winncrs havc sincc thcn dcvclopcd and progrcsscd in
Portugucsc and, signicantly, intcrnational tcrms.
Tc samc can bc said o thc winncrs o thc ollowing
ycars, whosc nominations rcsultcd rom a proound
changc in thc rulcs o thc Prizc. Tus, rom 2003 to 2005,
thc statutcs dcmandcd thc cxistcncc o a commission o
Portugucsc curators and an intcrnational jury o spccial
ists, cach group complctcly indcpcndcnt rom thc othcr.
Tc rst sclcctcd thc nominccs or a collcctivc cxhibition,
whilc thc sccond appointcd thc winncr.
Tc sclcction proccss took into considcration such cri
tcria as thc individual cxpcricncc o cach curator and thc
cmcrging talcnts on thc Portugucsc artistic sccnc. Tis
last dcmand was thc rcason that most o thc sclcctcd
artists (which, according to thc rulcs, should bc no lcss
than six and no morc than ninc) wcrc still working in
art school cnvironmcnts, or had only vcry rcccntly lct
thcm. In no momcnt o thc sclcction thc agc o thc artists
was takcn into account, what mattcrcd was thc dcgrcc o
dcvclopmcnt o thcir rcspcctivc carccrs.
Tc rcsulting cxhibition was ncvcr cnvisagcd as a sim
plc gathcring o individual languagcs. Tc curatorship
work implicd thc pcrsonal involvcmcnt o cach curator,
as wcll as gctting thc participants to discuss such subjccts
as thc choicc o spaccs and thc combination o cxhibitcd
works. Tis approach has consistcntly lcd to fuid cxhibi
oN THe 7th edP NeW aRTiSTS PRiZe
tions (cvcn whcn ccrtain artists chosc to prcscnt thcm
sclvcs in morc individualiscd spaccs), and to thc rcusal
o an artairlikc display (with cach artists work in a
scparatc scction), always with thc ambition o achicving
a divcrsicd, yct cohcsivc look.
At that stagc, thc FLP Foundation dccidcd to award a
cash amount to thc winncr, in rcturn or thc prcscntation
o a valid work or study projcct. Tc objcctivc o this pro
ccdurc sccms clcar in both cthical and pcdagogic tcrms.
artists at thc outsct o thcir carccrs arc allowcd to cxpcri
cncc thc hardships and ways o producing works or an
cxhibition at a prcstigious institution, lcarning to comply
with dclivcry dcadlincs and how to organisc transports
and insuranccs, ollow thc prcparation o catalogucs and
othcr divulgation dcviccs, ctc., whilc also justiying thc
Prizc by invcsting it in thcir carccr.
Te fact that each one of the three exhibitions or-
ganised in accordance with this second model was
hosted by such important and prestigious institutions
as Museu de Serralves (Porto, 2003), Centro Cultural
de Belm (Lisbon, 2004) or fnally (2005) Pavilho Cen-
tro de Portugal, in Coimbra (managed by the Serralves
Foundation), originally sowed the seeds of a polemics
that would disintegrate over time. To be sure, there
never was any intention of assuring a priori acclaim to
any artist, or of making them forget their position by
infating their critical value. Te fact that the program-
mers of the institutions in question (respectively Joo
Fernandes, Delfm Sardo and, again, Joo Fernandes),
all of them naturally used to dialogue with both emerg-
ing artists and those who already have their place as-
sured in art history and criticism, worked as curators
for the exhibitions actually strengthened the assurance
that no proper limits would ever be overstepped, that
no unseemly pressure would be exerted on either the
media or the market, and that the pedagogic aims of
the initiative would remain unchanged.
Such wcrc also thc guiding principlcs o cach intcrna
tional jury sclcctcd during thc pcriod in qucstion (includ
ing namcs as important and prcstigious as Marta Kusma,
Adriano Pcdrosa, Inakc Martncz or Paulo Rcis and, this
ycar, Adan Budak and Claudc Bussac), who succcssivcly
chosc as winncrs Carlos Bunga, artistic partncrship oo
Maria CusmoPcdro Paiva and oo Iconardo. Fvcn
though not much timc (4 to 2 ycars) has yct passcd to
allow us to positivcly gaugc thc positivc cvolution o
thcir rcspcctivc carccrs, thc adroitncss o thc choiccs is
alrcady apparcnt, somctimcs cvcn immcdiatcly, in thc
act that many o thcm arc alrcady cxhibiting or study
ing abroad, cvcntually taking up pcrmancnt rcsidcncc in
23
orcign lands andor achicving thcrc an cvcrincrcasing
cxhibition schcdulc.
Tis 2007 cdition has again cntailcd a rcmodclling o
thc Prizc. \hilc maintaining cvcrything that had madc
prcvious cditions a succcss, thc curators individual choicc
was improvcd by thc introduction o a nationwidc con
tcst, opcn to all participants who ull thc conditions
dcmandcd by thc Prizc. Tc rcsponsc to that initiativc
was uncxpcctcdly largc and rich, with ncarly our hun
drcd portolios rcccivcd. To rcach thc numbcr o ninc
participants (thc maximum allowcd by availablc spacc,
production budgct and thc compctitions rulcs) bccamc
thus not only an obligation or thc curators, but also onc
o thcir hardcst tasks. Prolonging prior cxpcricnccs, wc
havc choscn a photographcr (Rodrigo Pcixoto) who is
capablc o illustrating thc picccs display on thc cxhibitivc
spacc whilc at thc samc timc crcating a gcnuinc photo
graphic cssay on both thc cxhibitions scttingup and thc
crcation o thc cxhibitcd picccs.
\ithout any prctcnsions at anticipating thc dcsircd
succcss o thc prcscnt cdition, wc will just say that thc
act it again takcs placc at onc o FLPs historical prcmiscs
(Portos rcmarkablc Ccntral do Frcixo, dcsigncd by archi
tcct anurio Codinho in thc 1:60s), likc thc onc that,
at Iisbons Ccntral Tcjo, opcncd thc scrics in 2000, or
that it caturcs an unprcccdcntcd varicty o works and
cxhibitivc spaccs will ccrtainly givc it uncxpcctcd com
plcxity. Tc panorama o cach conjuncturcs crcativc rcal
ity, which this initiativc aims at simultancously obscrvc,
incorporatc and shapc, will bc thus highly cnrichcd in
thc prcscnt cdition.
Ovcr thc scvcn cditions dctailcd by thc prcscnt tcxt,
morc than just Portugucsc artistic rcality has changcd,
and that rcality did not changc simply bccausc o thc
FLP Foundations initiativc. Thc cxpcricncc dcrivcd
rom promoting and organising, thc companys inncr
workings, thc dynamics o thc pcrsonncl involvcd in it,
thcir tcchnical ccicncy and thc vcry cntrcprcncurial
culturc o which thc Foundation is both guardian and
promotcr havc also changcd, dcvcloping and cnriching
thcmsclvcs.
Conrontcd with scnsibilitics and languagcs that wcrc
totally ncw to thc univcrsc o a company whosc cld o
intcrvcntion, noncthclcss, is situatcd at thc vcry hcart o
thc citizcns cvcryday rcality, thosc who havc to dcal with
thc attcndant issucs o thcsc and othcr artistic cvcnts
(cxhibitions, tours, collcction purchascs, litcraturc, ctc.)
havc, ovcr timc, dcncd and pcrcctcd a sct o critical
pcrccption dcviccs that currcntly placc FLP, through its
Foundation, alongsidc thosc cntitics that most agilcly,
ccicntly and rcsponsibly guidc thc production and pro
motion o Portugucsc contcmporary art.
THF FLP FOUNLATION
24
o Q0= s:cN:r:ct o f=vro paisagcm na otograa
dc Andrc Ccpcda`
Num olhar atcnto c panormico, as imagcns dc Andrc
Ccpcda so vistas dc pcricrias, tapumcs c vcdacs, mar
gcns dc cstradas c trasciras dc casas. So paisagcns, sim,
mas aparcntcmcntc dcsqualicadas como Paisagcm. O
quc as transorma, cnto, cm motivos dignos do scu olhar
c dc todo o moroso proccsso dc captao c xao sobrc
um suportc quc, pcla sua dimcnso, sc aproxima mais da
lgica do quadro do quc da tradio otogrca`
Lcsdc o incio do scu pcrcurso quc Andrc Ccpcda tcm
vindo a produzir uma otograa cada vcz mais rigorosa,
proccsso quc c visvcl no dispositivo tccnico quc usa a
cmara dc grandc ormato, quc pcrmitc a corrcco dc
pcrspcctiva , numa opcrao quc unciona a contraciclo
cm rclao a aparcntc displiccncia do scu motivo. Ima
gcns captadas como sc osscm instantncos inormais
do quc vcmos normalmcntc dc rclancc, ou quc no tcm
dignidadc para nclc asscntarmos rontalmcntc o nosso
olhar, ncccssitam dc gcrar uma intcnsidadc numa qual
qucr zona da sua construo para podcrcm tcr razo dc
scr. F a, ncssc no limbo cntrc a diculdadc dc nomcao
dc uma tipologia visual c o podcr dc captao da nossa
atcno para um campo do visvcl quc no constituiria o
scu objccto natural, quc Ccpcda cxcrcc a sua otograa.
Como sc dcnc, cnto, cssc proccsso`
Primciramcntc, as imagcns uncionam cm scrics. Qucr
isto dizcr quc, para alcm das suas valcncias individuais,
clas sc inscrcm num sistcma intcrmutvcl dc rccrcncias,
ou scja, cada uma das imagcns adquirc um scntido acrcs
cido quc lhc c dclcgado pcla imagcm scguintc c activa
algo dc podcroso na imagcm antcrior. Fssc podcr dcriva
dc uma lgica dc continuidadc um tapumc cuja linha
sc prolonga por um taludc na imagcm scguintc, um vaso
quc possui uma orma scmclhantc a uma outra orma
noutra otograa , mas tambcm dc uma rccorrcncia
tcmtica. as ormas dc campos quc dclimitam cspaos
atravcssam vrias imagcns, como sc sc tratassc dc criar
um tcma comum cuja prcscna c quasc subliminar, ou
aNdR CePeda
quc sc manicsta dc orma discrcta (to discrcta quc podc
passar dcsapcrccbida ao cspcctador mcnos atcnto). As
sim, a otograa dc Andrc Ccpcda cncontra um scgundo
vcculo dc cspccicidadc. a paisagcm, a sua lgica intcrna,
inscrcvcsc numa lgica dc olhar narrativo, por naturcza
dispcrso, ora o scu modo dc proccdimcnto c cxactamcntc
o oposto, solicitando uma atcno conccntrada cm rcla
o a motivos narrativos porquc paisagsticos c, ao
mcsmo tcmpo, objccto dc subtis concxcs a partir dc um
univcrso dc rccrcncias vcrnacular.
Fsta orma dc lidar com a paisagcm prcscntc nas
otograas dc Andrc Ccpcda cncontrasc ligada a uma
tipologia dc dcslocao. Sc a paisagcm oi, atc ao ps
gucrra, uma tipologia dc pcnsamcnto sobrc a ordcm c
a hicrarquia do campo visvcl, cla constituisc, a par
tir da sua rcconvcrso cm vista dc um obscrvador cm
movimcnto, num intcrcssc pcla pcricria, atc porquc
a idcia dc ccntro sc pcrdc na dcslocao do obscrva
dor. Ncssc scntido, a otograa dc Ccpcda c tributria
dcstc proccsso, rclacionandosc com a arquitcctura in
voluntria c cumulativa quc c uma marca da rcalidadc
da cidadc como campo vivcncial. Assim, a otograa
dc Ccpcda possui um intrnscco jogo com o rcalismo
como dispositivo, tomado, no cntanto, dc uma orma
irnica, na mcdida cm quc o rcal quc sc dcstaca nas
sua imagcns c, dc acto, uma construo visual quc, no
cntanto, no assumc a tcatralidadc quc podcria sinalizar
a sua condio.
F por isso quc a sua vcrso da paisagcm no tcm qual
qucr rcsqucio monumcntal, no ordcna ncm classica
mas, pclo contrrio, csculturalmcntc clcgc uma situ
ao, procura a sua naturcza tridimcnsional c captaa,
num jogo documcntal dbio, promovcndo a objccto do
olhar o quc s o c porquc uma mquina otogrca oi
colocada a sua rcntc.
Para rcspondcr a pcrgunta colocada no incio, a pai
sagcm, na otograa dc Andrc Ccpcda, c uma procura
do dctalhc insignicantc crigido a condio cscultrica.
Por isso a sua otograa c to prxima da cscultura. ur
25
26
27
2S
vHtf uo=s fH= vovu landscapc mcan in Andrc Cc
pcdas photography`
\hcn you look up closc and in travclling, Andrc Ccpc
das picturcs arc vicws o outskirts, partitions and cnccs,
roadsidcs and backs o houscs. Tcy arc landscapcs, in
dccd, but apparcntly disqualicd, as ar as Iandscapc is
conccrncd. \hat changc makcs thcm bc worthy o his
look, and o all thc lcngthy proccss o capturing and xat
ing thcm on a mcdium whosc dimcnsion brings it closcr to
thc logic o thc painting than o photographic tradition`
Andrc Ccpcda has comc to producc an incrcasingly
morc accuratc photography rom thc bcginning o his
path. Tis is apparcnt in thc tcchnical dcvicc hc rcsorts to
a largc ormat camcra, which allows or thc corrcction
o pcrspcctivc , an opcration that works countcrcyclc
in rclation to thc apparcnt displcasurc o his moti. Cap
turcd as i thcy wcrc casual snapshots o that which you
usually only glancc at or is unworthy o a straight look,
his picturcs nccd to gcncratc intcnsity in any givcn zonc
o thcir construction in ordcr to bccomc mcaningul. It is
thcrc, in that nc limbo bctwccn thc diculty o naming
a visual typology and thc powcr to draw your attcntion to
a cld o thc visiblc that would not bc its natural objcct,
that Ccpcda docs his photographic work. How do you
dcnc that proccss, thcn`
Firstly, his picturcs run in scrics. Tis mcans that,
apart rom thcir valuc per se, thcy arc part o an intcr
changcablc rccrcncc systcm, i.c., cach picturc takcs on
an addcd mcaning which is givcn to it by thc ollowing
picturc and activatcs somcthing powcrul in thc prcvious
picturc. Tat powcr dcrivcs rom a logic o continuity a
partition whosc linc is cxtcndcd to a slopc in thc ncxt
picturc, a vasc whosc shapc is similar to anothcr shapc
rom anothcr photograph , but also rom a thcmatic
rccurrcncc. thc shapcs o clds which dclimit spaccs cross
scvcral picturcs, as i this was about crcating a common
thcmc whosc prcscncc is almost subliminal, or discrctc
(so discrctc, in act, that thc lcss attcntivc spcctator may
bc unawarc o it). And so Andrc Ccpcdas photography
nds a sccond vchiclc o spccicity. landscapc, its inncr
logic, inscribcd in a logic o a narrativc look, dispcrsc
by dcnition, its proccdurc is cxactly thc oppositc, both
dcmanding a ocuscd attcntion to narrativc (landscapc)
motis, and bcing thc objcct o subtlc conncctions rom
a vcrnacular rccrcncc world.
Tis way o dcaling with landscapc in Andrc Ccpc
das photographs is linkcd to a typology o dislocation.
\hcrcas, up to atcr \\II, landscapc was a typology
o thought on thc ordcr and hicrarchy o thc visiblc, it
shitcd, sincc its rcconvcrsion ocusing on a moving ob
scrvcr, towards an intcrcst or what lics on thc outskirts,
much bccausc thc idca o a ccntrc gcts lost as thc obscrvcr
movcs. In that scnsc, Ccpcdas photography owcs to this
proccss, in a rclation with thc involuntary and cumulativc
architccturc that is a staplc o thc city as living cxpcri
cncc. Ccpcdas photography thcrcorc uscs an intrinsic
play with rcalism as a dcvicc. Yct, this is donc ironically,
as thc rcal that is highlightcd in his picturcs is, in act, a
visual construction, which, howcvcr, docs not takc on thc
thcatricality that might signal its condition.
Tat is why his vcrsion o landscapc holds no shrcd o
thc monumcntal, docs not ordcr or classiy quitc thc
oppositc. it sculpturally clccts a situation, scarchcs or
its tridimcnsional naturc and capturcs it, in a dubious
documcntal play, promoting to thc subjcct o thc look
that is mcrcly so bccausc a camcra was placcd bcorc it.
To answcr thc qucstion askcd in thc bcginning, land
scapc in Andrc Ccpcdas photography is a qucst or thc in
signicant dctail that has riscn to a sculpturic condition.
\hich is why his photography is so closc to sculpturc. ur
2:
30
aNdR RoMo O IMPFRCFPTIVFI TRFMOR LO FINITO'
= Nts vtsstc=Ns =Nfv= ts co:sts quc sc podcm
surprccndcr as mais proundas manicstacs dos scrcs
c das coisas. Na passagcm dc uma coisa a outra, na trans
ormao da potcncia cm acto acontccc o gcsto criativo,
nascc a obra, a intcnsidadc, o scntido. O movimcnto c o
da intcnsicao das oras da intcligcncia quc ormam
as imagcns daquilo quc acontccc. A origcm c mctasica
(o princpio do scr) c dcscnvolvcsc cnquanto qualqucr
coisa quc acontccc, uma ddiva, uma criao, um gcsto
ortuito. A primcira imagcm c a dc um possvcl dcus quc
do p, no mcio do dcscrto c do nada, cria tudo o quc sc
podc pcrccbcr. o gcsto criativo c a origcm c a obra dc
artc a ssura quc sc abrc a supcrcic c dcixa como quc
vcr a origcm, o ccntro, o magma tcrrcstrc. F a pocsia,
suprcma artc do ritmo, c a sua potcnciao qualitativa. o
acto tcrrcstrc c humano transormasc cm alcgoria, cm
smbolo, cm scntido pcrccptvcl pcla cnormc comunidadc
humana (dos mortos c dos vivos).
Lcstc ponto dc vista, quc cxigc um suportc mcta
sico para todas as criacs cstcticas, a artc c pocsia c,
cnquanto tal, corrcspondc a uma cspccic dc rcvclao,
dcsvclamcnto, dcsocultamcnto, ou, sc sc prccrir, um
dcstacar os scrcs do undo homogcnco cm quc sc cn
contram. rcconhcccos como scrcs concrctos, irrcpctvcis
a obra c acto, princpio dc individuao. F na sua rclao
com a dcscobcrta do indivduo quc a cxpcricncia cstctica
conquista a sua pcrtincncia losca. a cxpcricncia do
bclo corrcspondc a cxpcricncia scnsvcl mais prxima
quc sc possu da cxpcricncia da vcrdadc, no sc trata da
aprcscntao dc um conjunto dc actorcs psicolgicos
cou sociolgicos quc rcsultam na cxpcricncia da artc.
Ainda quc a contcmporancidadc j no rcconhca a va
lidadc da vclha catcgoria do bclo, cla ainda signica a
possibilidadc dc um acto do mundo (objccto, matcria,
palavra) podcr cxtrapolar a sua cscra dc signicado numa
cspccic dc dcsccntramcnto ou cxorbitao. Sobrc csta
transormao rccacm todas as suspcitas, por isso sc ala
da artc como mistcrio c sc apontcm cnigmas cstcticos.
Sc a pocsia c, dcsta orma, a dcscobcrta do indivduo, cla
co num cspao comum, no crculo dos limitcs intangvcis
da comunidadc humana.
O trabalho quc Andrc Romo tcm vindo a dcscnvol
vcr tcm dois cixos undamcntais. Primciro cxigc um
cnquadramcnto mctasico quc cncontra no dcscnho a
sua linguagcm primordial c primcira, scgundo tcm na
pocsia a sua ncora. Aqui a catcgoria do poctico c, como
cm Novalis, sinnimo do mundo, porquc altamente
compreensvel por que que no fm, tudo se torna Poesia.
O mundo no se torna nimo, no fm? Ou scja, h um
momcnto, quc tambcm c um lugar, cm quc tudo c in
tcrioridadc, uma cxpcricncia do sujcito cm quc cstc j
no scntc nada quc no scja clc mcsmo. tudo az partc
dc si. Aqui a artc no c s a dcscobcrta dc novas zonas
scnsvcis, mas tambcm a ormao dcssa mcsma scnsi
bilidadc ou modo dc scntir. Fstc scgundo aspccto c aprc
scntao da cxpcricncia da artc como lugar dc cncontro
c princpio da tal comunidadc humana. Numa das obras
quc agora aprcscnta, Campo deFiori (parte I: O estdio
iluminado), o cspao vazio c iluminado sublinha no a
potcncia conccptual do objccto artstico dispcnsando a
matcrialidadc, mas a pura potcncia do scr da artc, ou,
por outras palavras, a pura potcncia do acto poctico. Isto
c, possibilidadc da rcalizao da humanidadc do sujcito
cnquanto orma dctcrminada c rcconhccvcl. Uma abcr
tura para um cspao ilimitado ondc a totalidadc acontccc,
ondc cla sc d c com cla o carctcr incvcl do sujcito
c a sua intcligibilidadc cnquanto univcrsal. Fstc lugar c
um lugar vazio porquc c na clarcira quc acontccc o scr
(Hcidcggcr) c porquc tudo rcsidc no modo como sc d
a passagcm da potcncia ao acto (C. Agambcn).
Fstc campo, quc c uma praa, c uma rccrcncia aos
lugarcs dc cncontro, dc troca, ccntros dc cclcbrao dio
nisaca, mas tambcm dc mortc (oi no Campo dcFiori quc
a 17 dc Fcvcrciro dc 1600 Ciordano Bruno oi qucimado
vivo, graas a uma viso do univcrso quc colocava cm cau
sa a viso comum do cosmos). Sobrctudo tratasc dc um
lugar simultancamcntc dc abcrtura c ocultamcnto. por
um lado, lugar ondc acontccc o scr, mas por outro pcrdc
alguma da sua individualidadc c transormasc cm mais
um dos scus, scmclhantc ao outro. Sc o acontccimcnto c
a catcgoria ccntral dcstcs trabalhos, com proundas con
scqucncias para a viso da prpria artc, o scrobradcartc
(aquilo quc caractcriza c dicrcncia os objcctos cstctica
mcntc qualicados dc todos os outros) c uma posio
num lugar c cstc signica uma cspccic dc instaurao dc
um mundo. particular, dicrcnciado, subjcctivo, prprio.
Como cscrcvc Hcidcggcr. a artc crigc um cspao abcrto,
cm cuja abcrtura tudo sc mostra dc um outro modo quc
no o habitual.
Uma comprccnso da artc quc abrc um horizontc his
trico cm quc os actos so vistos no como momcntos
intcgrados num proccsso dc actualizao, mas como
clcmcntos para o dcspcrtar do csprito, da conscicncia,
do colcctivo. F conscguco atravcs da conccntrao nos
objcctos singularcs, concrctos, individuais. O cspao quc
Romo cria no c um cspao abstracto, mas um cspao
cujos limitcs so continuamcntc rcdcnidos, rcavalia
dos, rcvistos. A conscqucncia c azcr trcmcr o nito,
o indivduo, o objccto, abala as rontciras c cxpcrimcn
ta aquilo a quc corrcspondcm os limitcs da palavra, da
31
32
congurao, da gura, da mancha, da matcria. Fscrcvc
Agambcn. cstc impcrccptvcl trcmor do nito, quc lhc
indctcrmina os limitcs c o torna apto a conundirsc, a
tornarsc qualqucr, c o pcqucno dcslocamcnto quc cada
coisa dcvcr ccctuar no mundo mcssinico. A sua bcati
tudc c a dc uma potcncia quc s vcm dcpois do acto, dc
uma matcria quc no cst sob a orma, mas circundaa c
constitui a sua aurcola.
Fsta invcrso do acto cm potcncia, quc o artista su
blinha, c um voltar a origcm, ao possvcl, ao ilimitado. A
obra dc artc c uma potcncia quc acontccc dcpois dc cstar
rcalizada, dcpois dc scr uma posio, um acto, um gcsto.
Por isso do outro lado dcstc campo, Romo coloca uma
csttua quc c uma aco, um monumcnto, um homcm,
uma pcdra. Na cxtrcmidadc do scu campo abcrto o quc
sc scntc, projcctado na parcdc, c o tal trcmor quc abala
os limitcs, ccrtczas c conviccs. Tratasc dc uma csttua
viva cm quc o corpo orgnico c transormado cm corpo
pcdra. tratasc dc voltar ao antcs da pcdra, ao corpo quc
origina a csttua o homcm azsc monumcnto, csttua,
mcmria c rcvclasc a si prprio. A imagcm projcctada
introduz movimcnto l ondc clc parccc no havcr. a con
tradio c a quc cxistc cntrc a imobilidadc da pcdra a quc
sc aludc c a succsso dc imagcns (24 por scgundo). Os
quasc impcrccptvcis movimcntos (trcmorcs) indicam
a passagcm do tcmpo c a rcsistcncia aos ccitos dcssa
passagcm. cstc monumcnto c um smbolo do corpo quc
rcsistc imutvcl a aco corruptiva c dcgcncrativa quc
acontccc na obra, no acto, no gcsto. A intcnsidadc daquclc
quc parccc no sc movcr aprcscnta uma dcclarao quc
a artc c um organismo incctado pclo vitalismo dc todos
os corpos vivos orgnicos, vcgctais, mincrais. F atravcs
dcstc rcconhccimcnto quc o scr individual (da obra, do
homcm, das coisas) volta ao scio do indicrcnciado, ao
scu scr potcncia, possibilidadc, abcrtura. Primciro dcsta
casc cnquanto construo, dcpois conundcsc cnquanto
coisa do mundo cntrc todas as outras quc cxistcm.
Fstcs trabalhos dc Andrc Romo so, sobrctudo, a rcali
zao (cm proccsso, construo, dcnio c apuramcnto)
das dicrcntcs intcnsidadcs com quc sc tccc a rclao cn
trc a orma poctica (linguagcm, razo, ritmo) c a orma
da matcria (pcdra, gcsto, corpo). uma prolonga a outra,
dcscobrcmsc mutuamcntc, aqucla acontccc ncsta, d
sc aqui. Por isso o scu cspao no sc caractcriza por scr
abstracto, mas por scr um abismo quc dcixa cntrcvcr a
possibilidadc do outro lado, do ladodcl. Atravcs do trc
mor quc introduz no scu trabalho, o artista cxpcrimcnta
os limitcs da sua priso, do campo, da praa, do corpo.
Nclc habita a cxpcctativa, por rcalizar, quc a cstc rcconhc
cimcnto podc corrcspondcr uma ultrapassagcm, um pas
sar para o outro lado, mas scm car prcso ao mundo mcs
sinico quc hdc vir, mundo da pura potcncia. Flc sabc
quc a sua priso, o cstar connado ao scu corpo, aos scus
olhos, as suas palavras, c a sua condio natural, podc,
s durantc uns scgundos, csquccclo, mas o rcgrcsso ao
atrito, a gravidadc, c incvitvcl. tratasc dc voltar a Tcrra,
quintacsscncia da condio humana. O trcmor a quc cor
rcspondc csta passagcm, quc c uma viso, az, momcn
tancamcntc, csqucccr os limitcs, mas, dcpois, rcccntra o
corpo na sua orma, na sua matcria, no scu scntido. Nc
'O ttulo c uma citao dc Ciorgio Agambcn, Comunidadc quc vcm, p. 47.
33
THIS IMPFRCFPTIBIF TRFMBIINC OF THF FINITF'
fH= u==v=sf rtN:r=sftf:oNs o bcings and o
things may bc surpriscd in thc cxchangcs that takc placc
amongst things. Tc crcativc gcsturc happcns and thc
work, thc mcaning and intcnsity arc born, turning powcr
into act as onc thing cvolvcs unto anothcr. Movcmcnt is
thc intcnsication o thc powcrs o intclligcncc that shapc
thc imagcs o what happcns. Its origin is mctaphysical
(thc principlc o bcing) and dcvclops as somcthing that
happcns, a git, a crcation, an accidcntal gcsturc. Tc rst
imagc is onc o a possiblc god who crcatcd cvcrything
wc may pcrccivc out o dust, in thc middlc o thc dcscrt
and o nowhcrc. thc crcativc gcsturc is thc origin, and
thc work o art thc crack that opcns on thc suracc as i
allowing a glimpsc o its origin, at thc corc, thc Farths
magma. Poctry, thc suprcmc art o rhythm, is its qualita
tivc potcntiation. thc humanc and carthly act is turncd
into allcgory, in symbol, in a way undcrstandablc by thc
cnormous human community (o thc living and thc dcad).
Tis point o vicw, which calls or a mctaphysical sup
port to all acsthctic crcations, art is poctry, and as such
corrcsponds to a kind o rcvclation, o unvciling, uncloak
ing or, i you likc, highlighting thc bcings rom thc cvcn
background thcy nd thcmsclvcs in. it rccogniscs thcm as
concrctc bcings, unrcpcatablc thc work is an act, an in
dividualisation principlc. Tc acsthctic cxpcrimcntation
attains its philosophical pcrtincncc in its rclation with
thc discovcry o thc individual. cxpcricncing thc bcautiul
corrcsponds to thc closcst scnsitivc cxpcricncing wc havc
rom cxpcricncing thc truth. It is not about prcscnting a
sct o psychological andor sociological actors that rcsult
in thc cxpcricncc o art. Although contcmporarincss no
longcr rccogniscs thc validity o thc old catcgory o thc
bcautiul, it still cmbodics thc possibility that a act o thc
world (objcct, mattcr, word) might cxtrapolatc its sphcrc
o mcaning into a kind o dcccntring or cxccssivcncss.
It is ovcr this transormation that bcalls all suspicions.
Tat is why art is said to bc a mystcry and ull o acsthctic
cnigmas. I poctry is, this way, thc discovcry o thc in
dividual, it is so in a common spacc, in thc circlc o thc
intangiblc limits o thc human community.
Tc work Andrc Romo has dcvclopcd so ar rcvolvcs
around two undamcntal axcs. Firstly, it rcquircs a mcta
physical raming that nds in drawing its primcval and
rst languagc, sccondly, it has poctry as its anchor. Hcrc
in thc poctic catcgory is, as in Novalis, synonymous o
thc world bccausc it is highly understandable why in the
end everything becomes Poetry. Doesnt the world become
spirit, in the end` So thcrc is a momcnt, which is also a
placc, whcrc all is inwardncss, thc cxpcricncc o a subjcct
who no longcr ccls anything but himscl. all is part o
him. Hcrc art is not just thc discovcry o ncw scnsitivc
arcas but also thc shaping o that vcry scnsitivity or way
o ccling. Tis sccond aspcct is thc prcscntation o thc
cxpcricncc o art as a mccting point and thc bcginning
o thc said human community. In onc o thc works hc
now prcscnts, Campo de Fiori (parte I: O estdio ilumi-
nado), thc cmpty and illuminatcd spacc highlights, not
thc conccptual powcr o thc artistic objcct doing away
with matcriality, but thc purc powcr o bcing o art, in
othcr words, thc purc powcr o thc poctic act, i.c., thc
34
possibility o rcalisation o thc subjccts humanity as
a dctcrmincd and rccognisablc shapc. An opcning to a
limitlcss spacc whcrc thc wholc happcns, whcrc it takcs
placc, and with it thc incablc charactcr o thc subjcct
and his intclligibility as univcrsal. Tis is an cmpty spacc
bccausc thc bcing comcs to bc in thc clcaring (Hcidcggcr)
and bccausc cvcrything lics in how thc turning o powcr
into act takcs placc (C. Agambcn).
Tis cld is a squarc and a rccrcncc to thc mccting
and cxchangc placcs, both ccntrcs o Lionysian cclcbra
tion and also o dcath (it was in thc Ficld o Fiori that
on 17
th
Fcbruary 1600 Ciordano Bruno was burnt alivc,
thanks to a vision o thc univcrsc which challcngcd thc
prcvailing vision o thc cosmos). It is abovc all a placc
simultancously o opcning and cloaking. on thc onc hand,
a placc whcrc thc bcing comcs to bc, on thc othcr hand,
whcrc it looscs somc o its individuality and bccomcs onc
morc o thc othcrs, similar to thc othcr. I thc cvcnt is thc
corc catcgory o thcsc works, with dccp conscqucnccs to
thc vision o art itscl, thc bcingworkoart (that which
charactcriscs and scts all acsthctically qualicd objccts
apart rom othcrs) is a position in a placc and this mcans
a kind o rcstoration o a world. particular, dicrcnt, sub
jcctivc, own. As Hcidcggcr wrotc. art builds up an opcn
spacc, through which opcning cvcrything is shown in a
dicrcnt and unusual way.
An undcrstanding o art that opcns up a historical hori
zon whcrc acts arc not sccn as intcgratcd momcnts in an
updating proccss but as clcmcnts o spiritual, conscious
ncss and o collcctivc awakcning. It docs this by ocusing
on singular, concrctc and individual objccts. Tc spacc cn
gcndcrcd by Romo is not abstract, but onc whosc limits
arc continuously rcdcncd, rccvaluatcd and rcvisitcd. Tc
cnd rcsult is making thc nitc, thc individual, thc objcct,
trcmblc. it shakcs its boundarics and tcsts thc limits o
thc word, thc conguration, thc gurc, thc spot and o
mattcr. Agambcn wrotc. Tis impcrccptiblc trcmbling
o thc nitc that makcs its limits indctcrminablc and
allows it to bc mistakcn, to bccomc anything, is thc tiny
displaccmcnt that cvcry thing must accomplish in thc
mcssianic world. Its bcatitudc is that o a potcntiality that
comcs only atcr thc act, o a mattcr that docs not rcmain
bcncath thc orm, but surrounds it as its halo.
Tis invcrsion o thc act into powcr which thc artist
undcrlincs is a rcturn to thc roots, to thc possiblc and
thc limitlcss. Tc work o art is a powcr which only hap
pcns atcr its conclusion, o bcing a position, an act or
gcsturc. Romo thcrcorc placcs in this sidc o thc cld
a statuc which is an action, a monumcnt, a man, a stonc.
At thc cnd o his opcn cld what is clt, projcctcd on thc
wall, is that trcmbling that shakcs thc limits, ccrtaintics
and convictions. It is a living statuc in which thc organic
body turns into a stonc body, it is about going back to
bcorc thc stonc, to thc body that originatcs thc statuc
man bccomcs monumcnt, statuc, mcmory and rcvcals
(to) himscl. Tc projcctcd imagc introduccs a movcmcnt
whcrc nonc sccms to cxist. it is thc contradiction bctwccn
thc rccrrcd motionlcss o thc stonc and thc succccd
ing ramcs (24 pcr sccond). Tc almost impcrccptiblc
movcmcnts (trcmblings) signal thc passing o timc and
a rcsistancc to thc cccts o that passing. this monumcnt
is a symbol o thc body rcsisting immutablc to thc cor
rupting and dcgcncrativc action that takcs placc in thc
work, thc act and thc gcsturc. Tc intcnsity o thc onc
who sccms not to movc claims that art is an organism
incctcd by thc vitalism o all living organic, vcgctablc
and mincral bodics. It is through this rccognition that
thc individual bcing (o thc work, o man, and o things)
rcturns to thc hcart o thc undicrcntiatcd, to its bcing
capablc o powcr, possibility, opcning. First it stands out
as a construction, and thcn it is mistakcn as a thing o
thc world amongst all cxisting things.
Tcsc works by Andrc Romo arc, abovc all, thc rcali
sation (as a proccss, construction, dcnition and rcnc
mcnt) o thc dicrcnt intcnsitics with which thc rclation
bctwccn thc poctic orm (languagc, rcason, rhythm) and
thc shapc o mattcr (stonc, gcsturc, body) is wovcn. onc
prolongs thc othcr, thcy discovcr cach othcr out, that
happcns in this, it happcns hcrc. Tat is why its spacc is
not charactcriscd by bcing abstract but bccausc it is an
abyss that lcts you glimpsc thc possibility o thc othcr
sidc, o what is across. Tc artist tcsts thc limits o his
prison, cld, squarc and body through thc trcmbling hc
introduccs in his work. Tcrcin inhabits thc yct to bc ul
llcd cxpcctation that to this rccognition may corrcspond
an ovcr taking, a crossing to thc othcr sidc, but without
bcing chaincd to thc yct to comc mcssianic world, thc
world o purc powcr. Hc knows that his prison, bcing
conncd to his own body, his cycs and his words, is his
natural condition, and that hc may orgct it or just a
cw scconds. Howcvcr, a rcturn to attrition, to gravity is
incvitablc. it is about gctting back to Farth, thc quintcs
scntial human condition. Tc trcmbling that corrcsponds
to this crossing, which is a vision, makcs us, bricfy, orgct
about limits but it thcn rcccntrcs thc body in its shapc,
its mattcr and mcaning. Nc
'Tc titlc is a quotation rom Ciorgio Agambcn, Tc Coming Community, p. 56.
35
aNdR RoMo, Iisboa, 1:S4.
Vivc c trabalha cm IisboaIivcs
and works in Iisbon
formao/studies:
2007 Iiccnciatura cm Lcsign dc
ComunicaoDegree in Communi-
cation Design, FBAUI
2006 Frcqucncia do curso dc
Pintura naAttends Painting course
at Accadcmia di Bcllc Artc di Brcra,
Milano
2006 Frcqucncia do curso dc
PinturaAttends Painting course,
Ar.co, Iisboa
exposies colectivas/
group shows
2007 Antes que a Produo Cesse,
Fspao Avcnida, Iisboa (cxposio
colcctiva, catlogogroup exhibi-
tion, catalogue)
2007 Ambulatrio, Fira 33, Iisboa
(projccto colcctivogroup project)
2007 Depois do Dilvio, Antigo Mcr
cado dc Ouriquc (cxposio colcctiva,
catlogogroup exhibition, catalogue)
2007 Ciclorama, Tapada da Ajuda,
Iisboa (cxposio colcctivagroup
exhibition)
2006 A Derrota, Calcria Municipal
do Iagar do Azcitc, Ociras (com
with Conalo Scna)
2006 Salon, Musco dclla
Pcrmancntc, Milo (cxposio co
lcctiva, catlogogroup exhibition,
catalogue)
2006 O Pavilho de Augusta
Narval, R. do Alccrim, 2Sb, Iisboa
(projccto colcctivogroup project)
2005 Werk, Calcria 5:, Iisboa
(comwith Conalo Scna cand
Nuno Iuz)
2004 Wunderkammer 04_mostra
de alunos da FBAUL, FBAUI,
Iisboa
2004 Projecto T8, Prcdio Vista
Alcgrc, Chiado, Iisboa (projccto
colcctivogroup project).
36
aNdR SouSa
o coN+0Nfo u= v=ts quc povoam o lugar cstabc
lccc uma rcdc dc rclacs. Fm primciro lugar, obscrvar
tudo a volta. o cspao da garagcm c dominado por uma
cstrutura dc planta triangular, trcs parcdcs dc dimcn
scs muscolgicas quc csto pintadas com um padro
as riscas, cm corcs quc no azcm qualqucr cspccic dc
ccito dccorativo cromtico cntrc si c quc albcrgam, no
scu intcrior, uma otograa dc uma camioncta na qual,
ostcnsiva, cst colada uma imagcm dc Chc Cucvara, no
cxtcrior h pinturas c dcscnhos colados. Porvcntura, a
rclao muscolgica da cscala das pcas, lcvcmcntc dc
sajustada c dcsconortavclmcntc colocada parcialmcntc
sobrc o osso dc rcparao dc automvcis da garagcm,
suscita uma rcminisccncia cm rclao a uma qualqucr
instalao num muscu um pouco mais dc csoro ar
rccordar uma das salas da cxposio Anos Oitenta, Uma
Topologia, aprcscntada pclo Muscu dc Scrralvcs. Na partc
dc trs da cstrutura cst uma pcqucna antologia do mo
dcrnismo, cm olhas dc papcl coladas dircctamcntc sobrc
a parcdc dc madcira monocromos picados a Malcvich c
a Rodschcnko, uma olha cm branco como uma mcmria
dc Mallarmc (ou \olhcim). No cho da garagcm cxistc,
do lado dircito dc qucm cntra no cspao, uma cscultura
com a orma dc um paralclcppcdo branco dcitado quc
possui, na acc do topo, uma orma irrcgular pcriclitan
tcmcntc cquilibrada. Uma obscrvao mais atcnta, aliada
a um olhar panormico pcla garagcm (c um cxcrccio dc
mcmria cm rclao ao scu cxtcrior), pcrmitc rcconhc
ccr a orma inccrta da scgunda pca, cquilibrada sobrc a
primcira. tratasc dc uma cvocao da prpria orma do
tclhado da garagcm, cdicio quc cstcvc cm uso atc rcccn
tcmcntc c quc possui todas as marcas da sua utilizao
passada. colunas amarclas pintadas com riscas prctas,
osso dc rcparao dc automvcis, cabincs pcrpcndicu
larcs a parcdc ondc os carros ancoravam para a rcgular
tcrapia mccnica. Numa dcssas cabincs cxistc uma scgun
da cscultura uma cscultura pobrc, simplcs c rcalizada
com matcriais banais. tratasc dc uma coluna, ormada
por dois paralclcppcdos, um pintado dc prcto c o ou
tro dc vcrmclho, quc rcmctc para uma coluna cxistcntc
num bar do Porto, um objccto sintomtico dc um gosto
obsolcto (como dizia \altcr Bcnjamin dos surrcalistas,
c o quc passou dc moda h cinco anos, o ligciramcntc
obsolcto quc os ascina), por cima da linha dc janclas
dc ondc sc vislumbra a Pontc do Frcixo, h um dcscnho
ccctuado a pigmcnto azul com a mcsma tccnica usada
pclos pcdrciros para marcarcm o cho (um o cmbcbido
cm pigmcnto quc, csticado cntrc dois pontos c tcnsio
nado, dcixa no cho uma linha quando, como num arco,
a corda c largada para cmbatcr no solo). O dcscnho c
um tringulo ormado por linhas quc partcm do topo c
intitulasc mciodia, muito prximo das rcprcscntacs
dos raios dc luz divina da pintura tardomcdicval, possui
tambcm uma rclao com a arquitcctura da paisagcm quc
a jancla cnquadra, com o ponto dc uga do viaduto da
pontc. Podc azcr lcmbrar outras rccrcncias as pinturas
dc Philip Otto Rungc gcncricamcntc intituladas Fascs
do Lia, ou os ccnrios quc o romntico alcmo cz para
A Flauta Mgica, nomcadamcntc o ccnrio quc scrvc dc
cnquadramcnto a Rainha da Noitc.
Voltcmos a dar a volta ao cspao. as linhas vcrdcs, roxas
c carmim quc, paralclas, dccoram as parcdcs brancas quc
conguram a cstrutura cm orma dc prisma triangular
parcccm possuir um rccrcntc cxtcrior ao cspao. O quc
c vcrdadc c no c vcrdadc, simultancamcntc. Nada nos
indica dc ondc oram rctiradas, mas podcmos csclarcccr
quc so acsimiladas da dccorao dc duas camionctas
mas sabcmos, tambcm, quc cvocam Frank Stclla c o uso
das barras paralclas para qucstionar o suportc pictrico.
Assim, tcmos uma pcrmancntc rccrcncia a idcia dc dcslo
cao c transportc cm todas as cstruturas quc compcm o
cspao cxpositivo. as camionctas (tambcm mcncionadas
nas ormas gcomctricas quc csto gratadas na parcdc
cxtcrior ao prprio cdicio), cvocadas a propsito dc o
prprio local scr uma garagcm. O paralclcppcdo dcitado
no cho, quc simula transportar um scgmcnto dc uma
maquctccmcolapso do cspao, como clc prprio um
modclo dc um cnormc TIR. As linhas do dcscnho quc sc
cncaminham para um ponto dc uga como um dcscnho
dc Sol Ic\itt. O sistcma proposto por Andrc Sousa c,
assim, um sistcma dc inactualidadcs, uma mquina dc
viajar no tcmpo da arqucologia do modcrno quc propc.
Fxistc, ncstc sistcma alcgrico dc rccrcncias ao intc
rior do prprio cspao c a compulsiva dromoscopia quc
a sua naturcza convoca, um scgundo univcrso dc rcc
rcncias. A distribuio das obras no cspao transporta
a mcmria dc uma outra cxposio, a histrica Primary
Structures, aprcscntada no cwish Muscum cm 1:66 c
rcsponsvcl pclo cstabclccimcnto da gcrao minimal
amcricana. Qucr a rcpctio dc cstruturas produzidas
cm madcira, qucr a rcmisso para a arquitcctura aqui
produzida dc uma orma dcrrisria , glosam ironica
mcntc as tcorias da tridimcnsionalidadc quc atravcssam
a artc amcricana da dccada dc scsscnta c o passaportc
para uma prtica pcrormativa quc clas possibilitaram.
Por outro lado, a condio ragilmcntc muscal da ins
talao parccc dcsnudar a compulso muscolgica quc
atravcssa muita da artc cmcrgcntc, atravcs da produo
dc uma cadcia dc rclacs (vividos pclo cspcctador como
sintomas) quc instaura um sistcma autogico. No cspao
37
caram algumas marcas da sua utilizao passada, bcm
como do prprio proccsso criativo do artista (digamos,
uma cspccic dc Fishli 8 \ciss invcrtido, porquc rcal),
o quc possui um carctcr dc rcmisso para a cxposio
antcrior do artista cm Iisboa (no Fspao Chiado da Fi
dclidadc), sabcndo quc a vcrnacularidadc dccorada das
cstruturas cscultricas c pictricas dc Andrc Sousa possui
uma condio baixa como artc o quc c absolutamcntc
voluntrio c dctcrminado.
Fstc carctcr dc modo mcnor da sua produo c pcr
mancntcmcntc conrontado com a mise-en-abme rcc
rcncial c quasc dc uma sistcmica dcmcncial quc o scu
trabalho dcnc. tudo, na sua maior insignicncia, possui
uma rclao com qualqucr sistcma dc rcunio, sabcndo
quc cstc sistcma possui scmprc cspao para a sua dctur
pao pclo artista.
Continucmos a olhar cm torno. as otograas c as co
lagcns na parcdc possucm um corrclato na prpria mc
mria das inormacs, logtipos c sinalctica dcixados
no cspao. Fica uma dvida. dc ondc vcm aqucla rasc. c
rcalmcntc um grandc aborrccimcnto o acto da sabcdo
ria s podcr scr adquirida atravcs dc trabalho rduo` F
quc, scndo vcrdadc, c o motc possvcl para o cspcctador
da cxposio. Atcno, portanto. F olhar cm torno. us
40
ramcd by thc window, with thc vanishing point o thc
bridgc viaduct. It may rcmind you o othcr rccrcnccs.
Philip Otto Rungcs paintings gcncrically titlcd Phascs
o thc Lay, or thc scts thc Ccrman Romantic did or
Te Magic Flute, namcly thc onc that is thc sctting or
thc Night Quccn.
Ict us go round thc spacc oncc morc. thc parallcl grccn,
violct and carminc lincs that dccoratc thc whitc walls
conguring thc triangularshapcd structurc sccm to havc
a rccrcnt which is cxtcrnal to thc spacc. Tis is both truc
and not truc. Tcrc is no hint as or whcrc thcy wcrc
takcn rom, but wc can cxplain thcy arc a acsimilc o
thc dccoration o two pickup vans, wc also know thcy
cvokc Frank Stclla and his usc o parallcl bars to qucs
tion thc pictorial mcdium. Hcncc, wc havc a pcrmancnt
rccrcncc to thc idca o dislocation and transport in all
thc structurcs that orm thc cxhibition spacc. thc pickup
vans (which arc also mcntioncd in thc gcomctrical shapcs
o thc grati on thc buildings outsidc wall), cvokcd
propos thc act that thc placc is a garagc. Tc cubc lying
on thc foor, which simulatcs it is carrying a scgmcnt
rom a collapsing mockup, as i it wcrc thc modcl o a
hugc lorry. Tc lincs o thc drawing that movc towards a
vanishing point, as in a drawing by Sol Ic\itt. Tc sys
tcm Andrc Sousa proposcs is, thus, thc oppositc o thc
currcnt. a timc machinc, dcsigncd to travcl in thc timc
o thc archacology o thc modcrn hc proposcs.
Tcrc is a sccond sct o rccrcnccs, in this allcgorical
systcm o rccrcnccs to thc insidc o thc spacc itscl and
to thc compulsivc dromoscopy summoncd by its naturc.
Tc distribution o thc works in spacc carrics thc mcmory
o anothcr cxhibition, thc historical Primary Structures,
hcld at thc cwish Muscum in 1:66, which was rcspon
siblc or thc cstablishmcnt o thc Amcrican Minimal gc
ncration. Both thc rcpctition o woodcn structurcs and
thc (in this casc, dcrisory) rcminisccncc o architccturc
ironically commcnt on thc thcorics o tridimcnsiona
lity which cross Amcrican art rom thc 1:60s and thc
passport to pcrorming practicc thcy madc possiblc. On
thc othcr hand, thc installations ragilc muscumlikc
condition sccms to dcnudc thc muscological compul
sion crossing much o thc cmcrging art, by producing a
chain o rclationships (cxpcricnccd by thc spcctator as
symptoms) that cstablishcs an autophagic systcm. Somc
marks o its past usc, as wcll as o thc artists own crc
ativc proccss (a sort o rcvcrscd rcal Fishli 8 \ciss,
i you will) rcmain in thc spacc, which lcads us back to
thc artists ormcr cxhibition in Iisboa (at Fidclidadcs
Fspao Chiado), awarc o thc lowbrow condition as art
o thc dccoratcd vcrnacularity o Andrc Sousas sculptoric
fH= s=f or v:=c=s that pcoplc a placc cstablish a nc
twork o rclations. First o all, obscrvc cvcrything that
surrounds you. thc spacc o thc garagc is dominatcd by
a triangular structurc, thrcc walls o muscological di
mcnsions paintcd in a stripcd pattcrn, in colours which
makc no chromatic dccorativc ccct bctwccn cach othcr
whatsocvcr and which contain a photograph o a pickup
van onto which a picturc o Chc Cucvara is clcarly glucd,
paintings and drawings arc glucd to thc outsidc. Tc
muscological rclation bctwccn thc scalc o thc picccs,
slightly unadaptcd and uncomortably placcd partially
ovcr thc garagcs rcpair pit is a rcmindcr o any muscum
installation a littlc morc cort will rcmind us onc o
thc rooms rom thc Anos Oitenta, Uma Topologia Te
Eighties: A Topology] cxhibition hcld at thc Scrralvcs
Muscum. In thc back o thc structurc thcrc is a small
anthology o Modcrnism, whosc shccts o papcr havc
bccn dircctly glucd on thc woodcn wall. monochromcs
drawn rom Malcvich and Rodschcnko, a blank shcct o
papcr as a mcmory rom Mallarmc (or \olhcim). On thc
foor o thc garagc, to thc right as you cntcr thc spacc,
thcrc is a sculpturc shapcd as a lying whitc cubc, on
top o which is a dangcrously balanccd irrcgular shapc.
A closcr look, togcthcr with a travclling look along thc
garagc (and an cxcrcisc in mcmory as or what lics out
sidc), allows you to rccognisc thc indcnitc shapc o thc
sccond piccc, balanccd on top o thc rst onc. it cvokcs
thc shapc o thc garagc roo itscl, a building which was
uscd as such until rcccntly and which still bcars all thc
marks o its ormcr usc. ycllow columns paintcd in black
stripcs, a rcpair pit, and booths pcrpcndicular to thc wall
whcrc cars uscd to anchor in or thcir pcriodical mccha
nical thcrapy. Tcrc is a sccond sculpturc in onc o thosc
booths, a poor simplc sculpturc madc o cvcryday ma
tcrials. a column madc o two cubcs, onc paintcd black
and thc othcr onc rcd, which may rcmind thc spcctator
o a column in a bar in Porto Tis objcct is a symptom o
an obsolctc tastc (as \altcr Bcnjamin said o surrcalists,
it is that which whcn out o ashion vc ycars ago, thc
slightly obsolctc, that ascinatcs thcm). Abovc thc linc
o windows rom which you can scc Frcixo Bridgc, thcrc
is a drawing in bluc pigmcnt in thc samc tcchniquc bri
cklaycrs usc to mark thc foor (a piccc o ropc drcnchcd
in pigmcnt which, strctchcd bctwccn two points and
tcnsioncd, lcavcs a linc on thc foor, as thc bowlikc ropc
is lct loosc and hits thc foor). Tc drawing is a trianglc,
whosc lincs radiatc rom thc top. Its titlc is mciodia
midday]. It is vcry closc to thc rcprcscntations o thc
rays o divinc light rom latc mcdicval painting. Tcrc
is also a rclation with thc architccturc o thc landscapc
41
and pictorial structurcs. somcthing which is absolutcly
voluntary and dclibcratc.
Tis minor modc aspcct o his production is pcrma
ncntly accd with thc rccrcntial and almost dcmcntial
systcmics mise-en-abme dcncd by his work. cvcrything,
in its highly insignicancc, is rclatcd to any givcn gathc
ring systcm, onc in which thcrc is always room or thc
artist to distort it.
Ict us look around oncc morc. thc photographs and thc
collagcs on thc wall arc corrclatcd to thc mcmory o thc
inormation, logos and signs that havc bccn lct bchind
in thc spacc. A doubt rcmains. whcrc docs thc scntcncc.
thc act that wisdom can only bc attaincd through hard
work is rcally vcry annoying comc rom` I this is truc,
it may bc thc motto or thc spcctator o this cxhibition.
So, pay attcntion. And look around you. us
ANLRF SOUSA, Porto, 1:S0.
Vive e trabalha no Porto / Lives and
works in Porto.
Formao / Studies
2003
Licenciatura em Pintura / Degree in
Painting, FBAUP.
projectos e exposies indivi-
duais / solo projects and shows
2007
XYZIANL, Spikc Island Projcct
Spacc, Bristol, Fngland
Skatc or Lic, Apcndicc, Porto
Imprio (comissrio / curator: Ri-
cardo Nicolau), Chiado 8, Lisboa;
Buh! a Sala, Porto
2006
A.T.F. Vidal Azorina Vidalii (\at
son) Fccr Vidlia, Calcria Quadrado
Azul, Porto
2004
A Verdade No Valia a Fogueira /
Esculturas de Areia! (com / with
Miguel Carneiro), PSSEGOpr-
SEMANA);
Equador (projecto colectivo num
apartamento particular / group pro-
ject in a private apartment), Porto
Artist in Rcsidcncc Qucir (Labo
ccia Azorica) PICO 2003
NARE (em colaborao com / with
Christine Fowler), PSSEGOprSE-
MANA, Porto
Paisagcns no Fscuro, PcSSFCOpr
SFMANA, Porto
exposies Colectivas / group
Shows
2007
Lcscxpor, Ccntro Cultural Franco
Moambicano, Maputo, Moam
biquc
2006
Fncontro Artc ovcm, Bicnal dc
Chavcs
Wacky-Races (com / with Mauro
Cerqueira), PSSEGOprSEMA-
NA, Porto
Fm Torno, XI Quadros dc Lana, Bi
bliotcca Almcida Carrctt, Porto
Tclccrico Cais dc Fmbarquc, Tclc
crico dc Cuimarcs, Cuimarcs
Busca Plos, Pavilho Ccntro dc Por
tugal, Coimbra
2005
27 Artistas, Uma Casa a Lcmolir,
Iaboratrio das Artcs, Cuimarcs
X, Calcria Quadrado Azul, Porto
Quando Um Minuto Sc Arrasta II,
Salo Olmpico, Porto ARANHA.
MQUINA.CIZ, Iaboratrio das
Artcs, Cuimarcs
PcSSFCOprSFMANA Aprcscnta.
Maus Hbitos, Porto CPO31031405,
Calcria Pcdro Olivcira, Porto
2004
A Lizcr, Salo Olmpico PcSSFCO
prSFMANA Ocina 201, Porto
2003
Prcmio Cclpa Vicira da Silva Artcs
Plsticas (Rcvclao), Fundao Ar
pad SzcncsVicira da Silva, Iisboa
2003
pg. 133, mostra dc livros dc artis
tas, PcSSFCOprSFMANA, Porto
Porto Pcrormancc, mostra dc situa
cs pcrormativas, PcSSFCOprSF
MANA, Porto
2002
KuratorcnSchulc (Ncw Cucst), pro
jccto dc Lanicl Schurcr (L), Calcria
Hans Stcgcr, Zculcnroda, Lcuts
chland
Locumcntos dc Kasscl, Bcrlim c
Zculcnroda, PcSSFCOprSFMA
NA, Porto
2001
Ancoragcm, Calcria Clria Vaz,
Fclguciras
2000
...rcprcscnta, accs, Casa dos Cri
vos, Braga Alquimias do Pcnsamcn
to das Artcs] tcmpo dc airmao
para novos criadorcs, Coimbra
ARCA dARTF Fncontro Furopcu
dc ovcns Criadorcs, Quartcl do
Bom Pastor, Porto
Pontos dc Contacto, circuito artsti
co altcrnativo, Porto Scntidos Crtis
2.0, Porto (1:::).
edies / Publishing Work
2006
Co-edita com Mauro Cerqueira o
fanzine Promoo / Co-publishes
with Mauro Cerqueira the Promoo
fanzine
20042005
Colabora regularmente em alguns
fanzines editados por / Regular con-
tributor to some fanzines published
by Miguel Carneiro e / and Marco
Mendes, Porto
outras actividades / other
activities
2002
Co-responsvel pelo espao / Co-
manages PSSEGOprSEMANA
(com / with Mafalda Santos e / and
Miguel Carneiro)
2005
Rcsponsvcl pclo cspao Managcs
MAL \OMAN IN THF ATTIC
20052007
Co-responsvel pelo espao / Co-
managed WASSER-BASSIN (com
/ with Joo Santos)
42
daNiel MeliM
tcxto. Fssas anotacs podcm tambcm scr rcgistos vi
suais, como sc osscm apontamcntos prcparatrios para
algo quc sc vir a cncontrar noutra cscala, ou noutro lugar
o quc por vczcs acontccc, mas outras vczcs sc cncontra
como rccrcncia intcrior do prprio dcscnho, rcplicado
numa mise-en-abme.
Na varicdadc aparcntcmcntc cnciclopcdica da colcc
o dc dcscnhos colocados nas mcsas cxistc ainda uma
scgunda clivagcm, s intuda pclo cspcctador c nunca
cxplicitada pclo artista, quc rcsidc na partilha autoral dc
alguns dcscnhos. no mapa dc proccdimcntos dsparcs quc
sc podc cncontrar, cxistc um conjunto dc dcscnhos quc
corrcspondcm a convitcs quc o artista ccctuou a outras
pcssoas (artistas ou no) para dcscnharcm algo. Sobrc
csscs dcscnhos, Mclim dcscnha outra vcz, no scndo
nunca claro sc sc trata dc um trabalho dc colaborao,
isto c, dc uma partilha dc autoria, dc uma dissoluo da
qucsto autoral, ou dc tomar o dcscnho como uma acti
vidadc quc sc podc cxcrccr num rcgimc todootcrrcno
qualqucr suportc c vlido, incluindo o quc j oi ocupado
por outro dcscnho.
Para alcm dos dcscnhos cxistcntcs nas mcsas, Lanicl
Mclim usa tambcm a parcdc, na qual rcalizou um dcsc
nho. Tratasc da ampliao dc um outro dcscnho quc
prcviamcntc projcctou, ccctuando, dcsta orma, um
mctadcscnho, isto c, um dcscnho dc um dcscnho, quc
por sua vcz cra j uma rcprcscntao dc uma paisagcm,
isto c, conguravasc como um proccsso cannico rcprc
scntacional. Ncsta passagcm por succssivas camadas ou
instncias dc rcprcscntao jogasc uma pcrda cxprcssiva,
uma transormao da mo quc, cm intcnsidadcs divcr
sas, tinha dcnido uma partitura do visvcl, para uma
scgunda mctodologia nocxprcssiva, quasc documcntal
c claramcntc grca.
Assim, a proposta no campo do dcscnho dc Lanicl Mc
lim consistc no cstabclccimcnto dc um campo fuido, um
contnuo dc prtica c rcfcxo sobrc cla como tambcm
dc rcconhccimcnto do prprio corpo a partir do dcsc
nho como uma disciplina scm cnonc. Fxistc, sintoma
ticamcntc, uma crcna no intcrior do scu trabalho. a dc
quc o dcscnho c o campo transvcrsal mais dcmocrtico
cntrc as prticas artsticas c as actividadcs cxploratrias
noartsticas. Ncssc scntido, o projccto dc Lanicl Mc
lim, nomcadamcntc cstc quc aprcscnta agora, congura
um programa cm dcscnvolvimcnto dc cntcndimcnto do
dcscnho como uma actividadc pcrormativa transvcrsal.
F ncssa pcrmcabilidadc asscnta a sua poctica.us

o u=s=NHo c a principal ocupao dc Lanicl Mclim.
Ocupao c no tccnica, ou suportc, porquc a pr
tica do dcscnho sc dcscnvolvc no scu pcrcurso (ainda
rcccntc) dc uma orma continuada c sistcmtica, como
uma actividadc pcrmancntc na qual no cxistc qualqucr
scparao cntrc componcntc tcrica c rcalizao.
O dcscnho no c como qualqucr outra disciplina artsti
ca, porquc no possui, h muito tcmpo, qualqucr barrcira
quc dcna um cnonc, ou quc cstabclca uma hicrarquia
dc proccdimcntos. Na prtica dc dcscnho dc Mclim, cssa
possibilidadc antidisciplinar surgc como um banco dc
cnsaio dc qucstionamcnto das componcntcs holsticas da
prtica artstica, sabcndo quc, na pluralidadc dc dispositi
vos c mctodologias quc Lanicl Mclim dcscnvolvc, no sc
prcgura ncnhum sistcma arquivstico do dcscnho, mas
um contnuo no qual dicrcntcs mctodologias c proccdi
mcntos contribucm para uma vivcncia crtica do dcscnho.
Na contribuio dc Lanicl Mclim para csta cxposio
cxistc uma varicdadc dc tipologias da prtica do dcsc
nho, quc sc cncontram disscminadas na multiplicidadc
dc propostas quc o artista aprcscnta.
Nas mcsas cncontramsc dcscnhos quc constitucm
uma sclcco ccctuada por Mclim a partir dc uma pro
duo muito mais ampla. Nas tipologias aprcscntadas,
todas ccctuadas no mcsmo ormato dc suportc, podcm
sc cncontrar. dcscnhos com divcrsos matcriais inscritorcs
(lpis, tintadachina, cscrogrca, marcador), bcm como
dcscnhos coloridos (a aguarcla c lpis dc cor), cncontram
sc ainda dcscnhos claramcntc gurativos, isto c, o chama
do dcscnho dc contorno, rcqucntcmcntc dc situacs
domcsticas ou dc paisagcns, cxistcm ainda dcscnhos quc
possucm uma ocupao mitigada da pgina, cvasivos c
ugidios, muito prximos do doodle, isto c, do dcscnho
inormal c dc composio involuntria. Fncontramsc
ainda dcscnhos quc partcm dc tipologias cxprcssivas
muito divcrsas. dcsdc dcscnhos quc, dc uma orma mu
sical, scgucm uma tcnso do campo visvcl, alguns muito
prximos das propostas dc dcscnho dc paisagcm dc oo
Quciroz, outros quc, cxactamcntc pclo contrrio, partcm
dc marcacs mais ou mcnos rigorosas da pgina, como
sc ccntrados sobrc a prpria disciplina do trao, dc uma
orma lingustica c analtica da prtica.
No intcrior dcstc univcrso dc multiplicidadc dc procc
dimcntos, cxistc ainda uma dicrcna signicativa cntrc
dcscnhos quc incorporam uma cstrutura narrativa aci
dcntal ou voluntria (nunca c clara a sua naturcza), obtida
atravcs da inscrio dc anotacs, nmcros, contas, ou
43
44
tcxt. Tcsc notcs may wcll bc visual rccords, similar to
prcparatory notcs o somcthing to bc ound in a dicrcnt
scalc or placc (which somctimcs happcns) but which is to
bc ound in othcr instanccs as an intcrnal rccrcncc o thc
drawing itscl, rcplicatcd in a mise-en-abme.
Tcrc is a sccond clcavagc in thc apparcntly cncyclopac
diac collcction o drawings scattcrcd on thc tablcs, onc
that may only bc pcrccivcd by thc spcctator but ncvcr cx
prcsscd by thc artist and rcsidcs in thc authorial sharing
o somc drawings. in thc disparatc map o proccdurcs onc
may nd, thcrc is a sct o drawings that corrcspond to
invitations cxtcndcd by thc artist to othcr pcoplc (artist or
othcrwisc) to draw somcthing. Mclim will draw, again, ovcr
thosc drawings. It is ncvcr clcar it is a collaborativc work,
i.c., authorial sharing, o a dissolution o thc authorship
issuc, or rcgarding drawing as an activity that can bc cxcr
ciscd in an alltcrrain modc any support is a valid onc,
including thc onc alrcady takcn up by anothcr drawing.
Apart rom thc drawings on thc tablcs, Lanicl Mclim
also uscs thc wall, on which hc madc a drawing. It is a
magnication o a prcviously projcctcd drawing, thcrc
by making a mctadrawing, i. c, thc drawing o a draw
ing, which in turn was alrcady thc rcprcscntation o a
landscapc, i. c, congurcd as a rcprcscntational canonic
proccss. In this mcandcring through succcssivc laycrs or
instanccs o rcprcscntation thcrc is a play on an cxprcs
sivc loss, a transormation o thc hand that, in dicring
intcnsitics, had dcncd a partition o thc visiblc into a
sccond noncxprcssivc mcthodology, almost documcntal
and clcarly graphic.
Lanicl Mclims proposal in thc cld o drawing consists
in thc cstablishmcnt o a fuid cld, a continuum o prac
ticc and rcfcction on itscl (and also thc acknowlcdgc
mcnt o thc body itscl), having drawing as a disciplinc
without a canon. Tcrc is, symptomatically, a bclic in
thc corc o his work in that drawing is thc most dcmo
cratic transvcrsal cld amongst all artistic practiccs and
nonartistic cxploratory activitics. In that scnsc, Lanicl
Mclims projcct, namcly thc onc now shown, congurcs
a dcvcloping programmc o an undcrstanding o drawing
as a crossdisciplinary pcrorming activity. His poctics lics
in that pcrmcability.us
uvtv:Nc is Lanicl Mclims main occupation.
Occupation and not tcchniquc, or support, bccausc
drawing has bccn cvolving in his still short path in a con
tinuous and systcmatic way, much likc a pcrmancnt activ
ity whcrc thcrc is no distinction bctwccn its thcorctical
and dcvclopmcnt componcnts.
Lrawing is unlikc any othcr artistic disciplinc, as it
docs not havc, rom long ago, any barricr which dcncs a
canon or scts a hicrarchy o proccdurcs. In Mclims draw
ing practicc, such antidisciplinary possibility comcs as a
tcst bcnch that qucstions thc holistic componcnts o thc
artistic practicc, knowing that in thc plurality o dcviccs
and mcthodologics dcvclopcd by Lanicl Mclim thcrc is
no orcshow o any archival systcm o drawing, but rathcr
a continuum in which dicrcnt mcthodologics and pro
ccdurcs all contributc to a critical cxpcricncc o drawing.
A varicty o drawing typologics can bc ound in Lanicl
Mclims contribution to this cxhibition, disscminatcd in
thc multiplicity o proposals prcscntcd by thc artist.
On thc tablcs, you may nd drawings which arc part
o Mclims own sclcction out o a much widcr produc
tion. In thc typologics shown, all donc in thc samc mcdia
ormat, thcrc arc drawings using various drawing matcri
als (pcncils, India ink, ball pcns, clt markcrs), as wcll as
colourcd drawings (watcrcolours and colour pcncils), and
also clcarly gurativc drawings, i.c., thc socallcd contour
drawing, rcqucntly o domcstic situations or landscapcs,
thcrc arc also cvasivc and cvancsccnt drawings which
occupy thc pagc in a modcratc way, quitc closc to thc
doodling, i.c., to thc inormal drawing and o involuntary
composition. Tcrc arc also drawings arising out o vcry
divcrsc cxprcssivc typologics. rom drawings which, in a
musical way, ollow thc tcnsion o thc visiblc cld, somc
quitc closc to thc proposals o landscapc drawing o oo
Quciroz, othcrs which, on thc contrary, sct out o morc
or lcss rigorous pagc margins, as i ocuscd solcly on thc
lincs own disciplinc, in a linguistic and analytical way.
At thc corc o this world madc o a multiplicity o
proccdurcs, thcrc is yct anothcr signicant dicrcncc
amongst drawings that cmbody an accidcntal or volun
tary structural narrativc (which naturc is ncvcr clcar),
obtaincd by way o inscribing notcs, numbcrs, sums, or
45
46
FeRNaNdo MeSquiTa UMA MUSICA AO IONCF
tstica c no mcramcntc uncional. O cspcctador (com
o adcrco dc ccna colocado) rcora o scu cstatuto dc
obscrvador (sujcito a novos cstmulos scnsoriais
intclcctuais) c tornasc ainda num cxplcito performer.
Com o contnuo dc acopcrormatividadc proporcio
nado por cstas pcas, Mcsquita cnccna o papcl dc agcntc
acilitador da pura contcmplao dc outras obras (dos
outros c prprias), c cciona uma partilha quc no c ncm
gcncrosa ncm livrc mas oricntada c prcmcditada.
Landonos indicacs para a nossa colocao corco
grca no cspao (somos conduzidos a scntarmonos,
cm dctcrminado ngulo ou cm dctcrminado ponto rc
lativamcntc aos objcctos a obscrvar) c dcpois dc nos a
zcrscntir o banco sob o nosso corpopcso c nas nossas
mos, Mcsquita conduznos para a aco do noouvir,
oblitcrando as inormacs dc um dos scntidos mais im
portantcs na aprccnso do mundo. Todas cstas accs vo
no scntido dc cxcitar (isolando) um scntido. a viso.
A grandc pintura (Catedral, 2007) quc complcta a par
ticipao do artista na cxposio, sobrcssaindo do muro
dc sustcntao quasc como scgunda parcdc, tambcm sc
aprcscnta como um objccto. Lo mcsmo modo quc um
banco, uma pintura pcrtcncc c no pcrtcncc ao lugar ondc
cst colocada c um bcm mvcl. O dcstino dc mobili
dadc c, ncstc caso, articulado com uma volumctria quc
parccc anal indicar o dcscjo dc vcnccr a mcra rcalidadc
cscultrica c passar a supcrior condio arquitcctnica,
c articulado com uma dccorao cromtica quc, citando
as parcdcs dc um muscu tradicional, rodcia a pintura dc
um vcrmclho cscuro c solcnc.
pintura cm causa quasc podcmos chamar dcscnho
sobrc tcla, por criar a sua imagcm a partir da aco dc
linhas sobrc um undo liso. O trabalho c rcsolvido como
um conjunto dc linhas paralclas quc sc do a vcr como
citao obscssiva c disuncional das linhas dc cota nas pa
rcdcs dc um cdicio cm construo. A libcrdadc artstica
pcrmitc ao artista criar uma imagcm quc tanto podc tcn
dcr para o prccnchimcnto innito, transormandosc no
limitc numa supcrcic monocromtica, como criar uma
supcrcic dc linhas vibrtcis, cntrc a simplcs iluso Op
c a cspiritualidadc dc cnchimcntocsvaziamcnto obtido
nas pinturas dc Agncs Martin, como, nalmcntc, rcsultar
num matricial cadcrno pautado ou pauta dc msica por
prccnchcr.
O quc disscmos atrs c o scntido global da obra antc
rior dc Fcrnando Mcsquita lcvanos a privilcgiar para a
sua prcscna na cxposio a uso dc scntidos c imagcns
associados qucr a lgica da arquitcctura c do dcsign qucr
a lgica da pauta musical. Lc acto, pcrantc csta parcdc
pintura, tcmos tambcm um banco com insonorizadorcs,
vtvf= uos fvtst:Hos aprcscntados por Fcrnando
Mcsquita ncsta cxposio colocasc, scm rudo aparcntc,
diantc (ou no intcrior) dos trabalhos dc alguns dos outros
participantcs. So trabalhos quc conduzcm o cspcctador
a uma participao dc ordcm pcrormativa. No cntan
to, tratasc dc rcalizar uma quasc noaco, ou scja, dc
suscitar uma situao dc paragcm ou rcpouso do corpo,
prcparandoo para a contcmplao. Um conjunto dc ban
cos cst individualmcntc colocado rcntc a uma ou vrias
obras dc artc c no intcrior do contcxto cxpositivo. Lcstc
modo, somos colocados tambcm, scm rudo, diantc (ou
dcntro) dos trabalhos dcsscs outros participantcs.
Os bancos csto ondc um qualqucr outro vulgar banco
dc muscu podcria cstar. dc modo a proporcionar aos vi
sitantcs um lugar dc dcscanso c contcmplao. Com csta
soluo (rcpctida cm dicrcntcs contcxtos do pcrcurso) o
artista rcaliza duas opcracs contrrias. transorma um
objccto scm aura numa obra dc artc c transorma uma
obra dc artc num objccto scm aura. O objccto (numa
cadcia dc signicados artsticono artsticodc novo
artstico ou viccvcrsa), sobrc o qual o cspcctador sc
cncontra scntado c assumido como lugar dc contcm
plao. Atravcs dclc, Mcsquita coloca o cspcctador cm
contacto com a obra dc outrcm (ou com outras das suas
prprias obras). Pcrturba c complcxica assim cada uma
das obras contcmpladas, intcrcrindo no cspao ondc
clas sc cncontram c obrigandonos a rcconhcccr como
todos os clcmcntos intcgrados num dctcrminado cspao
sc intcrrclacionam.
Os bancos dc Fcrnando Mcsquita mantcm cm abcrto
uma vasta possibilidadc dc scntidos, actuando ou csta
bclcccndo o cstatuto quc cada contcxto lhcsnos pcrmitc
ou proporciona. Sc pcrantc as obras dc prcscna mais
clssica sc comportam como simplcs bancos dc muscu,
cm situacs dc montagcm mais complcxa (no conjunto
da intcrvcnoinstalao do colcctivo PizzBuin) passam
a scr objcctos domcsticos. Mas, na mcdida cm quc a rc
crida instalao colcctiva (Projccto Casa, 2007) c um rc
positrio dc artcfake, o banco rcprcscnta, anal, a nica
obra quc no mima qualqucr outra, c a vcrdadcira obra
dcartc, cmbora insista cm camufar cssc cstatuto sob a
capa da scrialidadc dc abrico c da uncionalidadc.
Sobrc csscs bancos, alguns parcs dc insonorizadorcs
(abaadorcs dc rudo), dos quc sc usam na construo
civil, introduzcm a pcrturbao da cor (laranja) numa
sbria pca dc mobilirio. Ao mcsmo tcmpo quc intro
duzcm um clcmcnto dc surprcsa, c porquc dcvcm scr
cxpcrimcntados por qucm sc scnta, altcrando assim a
pcrccpo do rcal, tal inusitado complcmcnto scrvc para
nos garantir quc o conjunto sc liga a uma rcalidadc ar
47
o quc nos pcrmitc contcmplar a obra nas condics cs
pccialmcntc controladas pclo artista.
Scntados, surdos mas no ccgos (c por isso mcsmo
com a viso ortalccida pcrantc os rcstantcs scntidos),
cnos ocrccida a possibilidadc dc, na nossa contcmpla
o, radicalizarmos a cxpcricncia da pca 433 dc ohn
Cagc (cstrcada cm 2: dc Agosto dc 1:52). no ouvimos
o silcncio da msica sob o rudo ambicntc, antcs olhamos
o silcncio da pintura sob um silcncio ambicntc bcm mais
proundo podcndo prolonglo indcnidamcntc. +v
50
A LISTANT MUSIC
(bcing now subjcct to ncw scnsorialintcllcctual stimuli),
whilc bccoming cxplicitly pcrormcrs.
Mcsquita uscs thc actionpcrormancc continuum gc
ncratcd by thcsc picccs to prcscnt thcm as agcnts that
promotc thc contcmplation o othcr works (both his and
othcrs), whilc ctionalising a kind o sharing that is di
rcctcd and prcmcditatcd, rathcr than gcncrous or rcc.
Having instructcd us as to our chorcographic placc
mcnt in spacc (wc arc madc to sit at a ccrtain anglc or
point in rclation to thc objccts to bc obscrvcd), and atcr
making us ccl thc bcnch undcr our bodywcight and
hands, Mcsquita lcads us to thc action o nothcaring,
oblitcrating thc inormation that comcs to us through
onc o thc most important scnscs or pcrcciving thc
world. All thcsc actions arc intcndcd to cxaccrbatc (by
isolating it) a singlc scnsc. sight.
Tc largc painting (Catedral, 2007), which complctcs
thc artists contribution to this cxhibition, sticks out al
most likc a sccond wall, prcscnting itscl likc an objcct,
too. Iikc a bcnch, a painting both bclongs and bclongs
not to thc location on which it is placcd it is a movablc
commodity. Tis vocation or mobility is combincd, hcrc,
with a play on volumcs that sccms to indicatc a dcsirc to
ovcrcomc mcrc sculptural rcality and achicvc thc supcrior
condition o architccturc, along with a chromatic dcco
ration that, cvoking thc walls o a traditional muscum,
cnvclops thc painting in a dark, solcmn rcd.
Tc painting itscl could almost bc callcd a drawing on
canvas, sincc its imagc consists on a scrics o lincs on a
blank background. Tc piccc is basically a sct o parallcl
lincs that comc across as an obscssivc and dysunctio
nal vcrsion o thc mcasurcmcnt lincs on thc walls o a
building undcr construction. Artistic rccdom allows thc
artist to crcatc a picturc that may cithcr lcad to limitlcss
llingin, cvcntually rcsulting in a monochromatic sura
cc, or in a suracc o vibratilc lincs, bctwccn simplc Op
Artinfucnccd illusion and thc llcdinvoid spirituality
o Agncs Martins paintings, or, nally, in a kind o yct
unllcd lincd notcbook or music shcct.
\hat wc havc just writtcn, along with thc global oricn
tation o Fcrnando Mcsquitas prcvious works, lcads us to
rcad in his prcscnt contribution a blcnd o mcanings and
imagcs that arc associatcd to thc logics o architccturc,
dcsign and musical notation. Indccd, this paintingwall
is also accd by a bcnch with mucrs, allowing us to
contcmplatc thc piccc in conditions spccically control
lcd by thc artist.
\hilc wc sit down, dca but not blind (and hcncc with
our sight strcngthcncd ovcr thc othcr scnscs), wc arc
givcn thc possibility o, during our contcmplation, carry
c=vft: N or fH= vovxs prcscntcd by Fcrnando
Mcsquita in this cxhibition unobtrusivcly placc thcm
sclvcs in ront o (or within) works by somc o thc othcr
participants. Tcsc particular works inspirc thc spccta
tor to a pcrormativc action, which, howcvcr, is ncarly a
nonaction, or, morc prcciscly, thc intcntion hcrc is to
gcncratc a situation in which thc body stops or rcposcs,
thus prcparing it or contcmplation. Scvcral bcnchcs arc
scparatcly placcd in ront o onc or morc works o art,
within thc cxhibition spacc. Tus, wc too nd oursclvcs
unobtrusivcly placcd in ront o (or within) thc works o
thc othcr participants.
Tc bcnchcs play cxactly thc samc rolc as any othcr
common muscum bcnch. thcy providc visitors with a
placc or rcst and contcmplation. Tis approach (rcpc
atcd in various contcxts within thc cxhibition) allows
thc artist to pcrorm two oppositc opcrations. hc turns
an objcct dcvoid o aura into a work o art, whilc tur
ning a work o art into an objcct dcvoid o aura. Tc
objcct (part o an artisticnonartisticartistic again (or
vicc vcrsa) chain o mcaning) on which thc spcctator
sits is uscd as a placc or contcmplation. Trough it,
Mcsquita puts thc spcctator in contact with thc work
o anothcr (or with onc o his own works). Hc disturbs
and complcxics cach onc o thc contcmplatcd works,
intcrcring with thc spacc in which thcy arc displaycd
and orcing us to acknowlcdgc how all clcmcnts in a
givcn spacc intcrrclatc.
Fcrnando Mcsquitas bcnchcs cncompass a vast ran
gc o mcanings, cithcr acting on or dcning thc status
cach contcxt allows or ocrs thcmus. \hilc bchaving
as simplc muscum bcnchcs in ront o morc classically
prcscntcd works, morc complcx display situations (such
as thc intcrvcntioninstallation by artistic collcctivc Pi
zzBuin) turn thcm into houschold objccts. Yct, givcn that
thc aorcmcntioncd collcctivc installation (Projecto Casa,
2007) is a rcpository o akc art, thc bcnch cnds up as
thc only piccc that is not imitating somc othcr work, it
is, indccd, thc rcal workoart hcrc, cvcn though it in
sists on conccaling that status undcr thc cloak o scrics
production and unctionality.
On thcsc bcnchcs, somc pairs o mucrs, such as arc
uscd by construction workcrs, introducc a jarring notc o
colour (orangc) in an othcrwisc sobcr piccc o urniturc.
Bcsidcs bringing in an clcmcnt o surprisc, thcy arc sup
poscd to bc worn by thc sittcrs, thus altcring thcir pcrccp
tion o rcality, this unusual complcmcnt assurcs us that
thcsc works arc conncctcd to an artistic rcality, rathcr
than a mcrcly unctional onc. Oncc thcir stagc props
arc in placc, spcctators rcinorcc thcir status as obscrvcrs
51
to an cxtrcmc thc cxpcricncc o listcning to ohn Cagcs
433 (prcmicrcd on 2: August 1:52). instcad o listcning
to thc silcncc o that piccc o music undcr thc noisc o
our surroundings, wc look at thc silcncc o thc painting
undcr a much dccpcr cnvcloping silcncc which may bc
prolongcd indcnitcly.
52
guSTavo SuMPTa O PFSO LA TFRRA SFNTFSF SOBRF O CORPO
tantc no proccsso dc criao. Tudo partc dos movimcntos
quc o corpo, aliado a uma intcligcncia croz c prodigiosa,
rcaliza. pcla cidadc, cm cima dum palco, na rccolha dos
cxccssos construtivos da indstria urbana, na pcrccpo
do cquilbrio, dicilmcntc conscguido, sobrc aquilo quc
cst l cm baixo. A cidadc quc c uma mctora para a
topograa intcrna c aqucla quc o sujcito constri. so
as ruas quc pcrcorrc, os prcdios quc admira, os dcstroos
quc o acctam. Fstcs so os pilarcs da sua cidadc, isto c,
as pcdras do scu lugar.
Com Custavo Sumpta qucr sc tratc da cidadc rcplcta
dc scntido, signicados c acctos, das suas accs, das
suas csculturas ou dos scus dcscnhos o trabalho artsti
co nunca assumc uma orma ou posio xas, s conhccc
a ormao c a variao. Por isso o trabalho signicasc
a si prprio c a sua mclhor aprcscntao c clc mcsmo.
No c quc sc tratc do tpico work in progress, mas sim
da rcalizao c matcrializao dc movimcntos dc apro
ximao a uma ccrta idcia dc rcgisto dos gcstos (intcrnos
c imatcriais ou cxtcrnos c matcriais) sobrc as supcrcics
c o scu postcrior arquivo no papcl, no lmc, na pcdra, na
madcira. Ncstc caso, no cxistcm idcias prccxistcntcs as
prprias coisas, isto c, c a prpria rcalizao da coisa da
artc quc c a idcia, a matcria, local do pcnsamcnto c da
criao. O motc c no tcr idcias c no azcr projcccs, o
quc signica clcgcr como guias os scgrcdos quc continu
amcntc tudo diz aos nossos ouvidos c cm quc o artista
surgc como aquclc quc cscuta, aquclc cujos mccanismos
pcrccptivos so anados pclos sons c ritmos quc tudo
quanto h. A situao paradigmtica c a da rcalizao dc
um trabalho quc no c cntcndido cnquanto ccito dc uma
causa cstratcgicamcntc orjada, mas c um lugar dc pos
scsso c mania porquc. o trabalho azsc a si prprio.
Fm tcrmos dos sistcmas dc comprccnso do proccsso
criativo, o local quc Sumpta cscolhcu implica uma cs
pccic dc ncgao da prcdominncia da intcncionalidadc
artstica c o assumir quc a criao c rcgida por um dcus
dcsconhccido c manaco quc c ccgo a outra coisa quc no
scjam as cxigcncias morais, orgnicas, cstcticas da
quilo quc sc vai azcndo. pcrcorrcr a cidadc, captar uma
imagcm, rccolhcr uma pcdra, riscar o papcl. Tratasc dc
no dcscjar nada, no dcscjar azcr absolutamcntc nada
cm quc no sc anula o dcscjo como motor quc origina a
aco. Os scus movimcntos undamsc numa cspccic dc
moralidadc quc vc a matcria como prolongamcnto natu
ral c ncccssrio do organismo, por isso podc amar uma
montanha, uma mulhcr, uma pcdra da calada, as runas
ou os dcstroos da grandc cidadc. F cntrc o dcscjo c o
amor crgucsc um abismo. o primciro implica pcrscguir,
mcsmo quc ccgo, a ambio c o impulso, o scgundo c a
o r=Nov u=Nor:Ntuov cor0r dc todos os homcns
c o acto dc caminharcm sobrc a tcrra, dc sorcrcm os
ccitos da gravidadc c dc, por m, scntircm o pcso da
tcrra sobrc os corpos. Todas as coisas os nossos corpos
includos cam sujcitas a uma lci dc pcrmutabilidadc
cntrc tcr uma orma rcconhccvcl por todos c o dissipar
sc numa massa homogcnca na qual no cxistc indivduo
c cm quc tudo c igual a tudo. o um o todo, o nada a
plcnitudc, o vazio o chcio, a cntranha a sionomia c a
lci c a do inormc. A paisagcm no c dc dcsolao, mas
rcsulta dc um olhar quc cm tudo cncontra os indcios
da gcrao c da corrupo, do nascimcnto c da mortc. A
antinomia, originria c vital, gcra o movimcnto prprio
aos corpos inspirar cxpirar c dcscnha o conjunto dc
possibilidadcs cstcticas, gcomctricas, pictricas quc
cabcm cm sortc aquilo quc h. Simultancamcntc lcmbra
a asccnso, mas tambcm a qucda, o nascimcnto, mas
tambcm a mortc. coroa dc cspinhos c dc glria quc nunca
dcixa csmorcccr o mcdo quc suporta a vida c mantcm os
olhos abcrtos.
A lio, muito ao jcito do cincma dc Fassbindcr, no c
quc o mcdo scja o guia, mas tratasc do scntimcnto quc
agua o olhar para o acto dc as alturas, a ctcrnidadc c a
incorruptibilidadc scrcm imprprias a matcria dc quc o
homcm c cito. uma cspccic dc nojo antropolgico por
tudo aquilo quc no c um ingrcdicntc prprio da mistu
ra humana. No csto cm causa proibics rcligiosas ou
pudorcs mctasicos, mas um princpio dc adcquao a
rcalidadc quc no admitc objcctos dc transio ou con
solao. A mxima c a dc quc a qucda c dolorosa, mas
tambcm abcrtura, possibilidadc dc cxpanso, potcnciao
dc limitcs. A criana c a sua mclhor aprcscntao. as proi
bics c limitcs quc compcm o scu mundo no provcm
dc advcrtcncias alhcias, mas da cxpcrimcntao dirccta
dos pcrigos sabc quc o ogo qucima dcpois dc sc quci
mar, sabc quc cai dcpois dc tcr subido c cado, conhccc a
ncgao dcpois dc rustrada a tautologia.
Custavo Sumpta c um artista quc construiu um tcrri
trio quc sc situa numa tcrra dc ningucm talvcz ncm
dclc mcsmo. Os limitcs do scu tcrritrio so mvcis cm
tcrmos da linguagcm quc usa, dos matcriais quc trans
orma, das tcxturas quc rccria. o cincma, a performance,
a cscultura, o dcscnho, a otograa. A imaginao lcgis
ladora dcstc tcrritrio c providcncial na instaurao dc
ssuras atravcs das quais o artista cria possvcis campos
por ondc andar. No sc tratam dc trilhos prcdctcrmi
nados, mas dc vcstgios quc sc vo scguindo, caminhos
quc sc vo ormando ao longo do trajccto quc as pcrnas
azcm. Talvcz scja por isso quc para Sumpta a aco ou,
sc sc prccrir, a performance, c um momcnto to impor
53
dcscobcrta do outro atravcs dc uma cntrcga incondicional
quc tcm como condio sabcr passar para o outro lado,
sabcr atravcssar a cspcssa parcdc c colocarsc no stio
simctrico quc o outro ocupa c dc ondc vc o mundo.
A havcr um mctodo ou proccsso para cstc artista, clc
implica a aquisio dc uma cspccic dc ponto dc vista ct
nogrco quc qucr dizcr o sabcr colocarsc na posio
dcscobcrta do quc cst imprcsso no vcrso c no rcvcrso
das coisas. Uma posio quc lcmbra aquclcs quc primciro
pcrscguiram a histria humana. o palcontlogo romn
tico ou o ctnologista straussiano cm quc o obscrvador
magicamcntc sc mctamoroscia na rcalidadc quc obscrva
c sc transorma naquilo quc vc, toca, ouvc ou prcsscntc.
O corpo orgnico c como um objccto antigo c mgico quc
capta as cncrgias c scntimcntos do univcrso, por isso tcm
dc cstar scmprc cm movimcnto para podcr acompanhar
o dinamismo do quc cst vivo.
Uma actividadc cartogrca cm quc as camadas scn
timcntal c scnsvcl so as pcdras dc toquc c na qual a
mcmria c o undo cm quc so crguidas as dicrcntcs
construcs. O movimcnto, como sc ossc ar cxpclido pc
los pulmcs, c a modalidadc dcssa mcmria quc ca prcsa
nos instrumcntos quc sc usa para azcr no intcrcssa o
quc, prolongamcntos do corpo quc rcconquistam novas
instncias dc scntido atravcs da sua intcgrao numa cs
cultura ou numa aco tcrmos pcrmutvcis c muitas
vczcs sinnimos. A rclao primitiva c intuitiva com os
dicrcntcs matcriais quc usa az com quc Custavo Sump
ta usc o scu prprio corpo como sc cstc ossc um cliz
acompanhamcnto dos movimcntos giratrios da Tcrra,
por isso a performance c a sua linguagcm primria. cst
antcs dc tudo.
A pca quc aprcscnta nos Novos Artistas FLP com
o ttulo Se roubei foi porque tinha fome c paradigmtica
das tcnscs quc pcrcorrcm a totalidadc da sua produo.
O mundo, aqui connado ao cspao cxpositivo, c trans
ormado num cnormc ccmitcrio. O cho c o p, dc quc c
cita a obra, so a sntcsc das lcis a quc sc cst submctido
c a quc o artista prcsta vcnia. O jardim dc cimcnto, tcrra
c ardsia ncgra c (scguindo Ccnct c Ciacomctti) uma
orma dc aprcscntar a cnormc comunidadc dos mortos
como dcstino dc toda c qualqucr obra dc artc. A mortc
no c a mscara do gcsto, mas a nica cxprcsso possvcl
na cconomia ormal dc qucm no tcm calor ncm rio,
mas antccipa na dcscobcrta do p sob os nossos pcs a
nica hcrana a scr rcclamada. O scntimcnto no c dc
nostalgia, mas sinal da actividadc rcmcmoratria do quc
j no c, do quc j no cst, do quc j no sc diz c para o
qual j sc dcsaprcndcram as palavras. O silcncio c o dc
qucm sabc havcr dcmasiado barulho para sc podcr dizcr
alguma coisa c, mcsmo sc sc disscr, a boca cst dcsdcn
tada c s produz barulhos inarticulados inintcligvcis.
Rcsta scntir o pcso da tcrra sobrc os ossos, sobrc a carnc,
sobrc as palavras.Nc
56
YOU CAN FFFI THF \FICHT OF THF FARTH OVFR YOUR BOLY
pcrorms. whcthcr through thc city, on a stagc, collccting
thc constructivc cxccsscs o urban industry, in thc pcr
ccption o thc dicult balancc ovcr what is bclow it. Tc
city a mctaphor or inncr topography is that which
thc subjcct builds. thc strccts hc gocs by, thc buildings
hc obscrvcs or thc dcbris that acct him. Tcsc arc thc
pillars o his city, i.c., thc stoncs o his placc.
\ith Custavo Sumpta, whcthcr it is about thc city ull
o mcaning or acction, his actions, sculpturcs or dra
wings, thc artistic work ncvcr takcs on a xcd shapc or
position. it knows only ormation and variation. Tat is
why thc work mcans itscl and is its bcttcr prcscntation.
Tis is not cxactly thc typical work in progress. it is thc
accomplishmcnt and matcrialisation o movcmcnts o
approximation to a ccrtain idca o rcgistcr o gcsturcs
(intcrnal and immatcrial or cxtcrnal and matcrial) on
suraccs, and thcir latcr archivc on papcr, lm, stonc or
wood. In this casc, thcrc arc no idcas that prccxist things
thcmsclvcs, i.c., thc accomplishmcnt o that thing in art
that is thc idca, thc mattcr, thc placc o thought and
crcation. It is about not having idcas and not making
projcctions, which mcans to clcct as guidcs thc sccrcts
that continuously tcll cvcrything in our cars and in whi
ch thc artist is thc onc who listcns, whosc pcrccptivc
mcchanisms arc tuncd by all thc sounds and rhythms
thcrc can bc. Tc paradigmatic situation is that o thc
accomplishmcnt o a work that is not sccn as an ccct
o a stratcgically orgcd causc, but rathcr as a placc o
posscssion and mania, as it is donc by itscl.
As ar as thc systcms or undcrstanding thc crcativc
proccss arc conccrncd, thc placc Sumpta has choscn in
volvcs a kind o dcnial o thc prcdominancc o artistic
intcntionality, as wcll as acknowlcdging that crcation
is rulcd by an unknown maniacal god who is blind to
cvcrything but to dcmand (bc it moral, organic or acsthc
tical) o what is donc. going through thc city, capturing a
picturc, collccting a stonc, scribbling on papcr. It is about
not wishing, about not wanting to do absolutcly anything
in which dcsirc as thc driving orcc is not annullcd. His
movcmcnts arc oundcd upon a kind o morality that
vicws mattcr as a natural and ncccssary cxtcnsion o thc
organism. thus, hc may thcrcorc lovc a mountain, a wo
man, a stonc rom thc pavcmcnt, thc ruins or thc dcbris
o thc big city. An abyss lics bctwccn dcsirc and lovc. thc
ormcr involvcs pursuing, blindly cvcn, ambition and im
pulsc, whcrcas thc lattcr mcans thc discovcry o thc othcr
through an unconditional surrcndcr whosc condition is
to know how to cross ovcr to thc othcr sidc, how to cross
ovcr that thick wall and put yourscl in thc symmctrical
placc takcn by thc othcr, rom which hc sccs thc world.
fH= :ov=v corroN u=Nor:Ntfov o all mcn is thc
act that thcy walk on carth, sucr thc cccts o gravity
and, in thc cnd, ccl thc wcight o thc carth ovcr thcir
bodics. Fvcrything including our bodics arc subjcct
to a law o pcrmutability, bctwccn having a shapc which
may bc rccogniscd by cvcryonc and o vanishing into an
homogcncous mass in which thcrc is no individual and
cvcrything is thc samc as cvcrything. onc is all, nothing
is plcnitudc, cmpty is ull, thc cntrails arc thc physiog
nomy and thc law is that o thc shapclcss. Iandscapc
is not dcsolatc, yct it is thc rcsult o a look that nds
traccs o gcncration and corruption, o birth and dcath,
in cvcrything. Tis original and vital antinomy gcncratcs
thc bodics movcmcnt (inhalc cxhalc) and draws thc sct
o random acsthctical, gcomctrical, pictorial possibi
litics. At thc samc timc, it rcminds us o thc risc, but also
o thc all, birth, but also dcath. a crown o thorns and
glory that ncvcr lcts thc car that holds lic and kccps its
cycs opcn losc hcart.
Tc lcsson, much likc in a Fassbindcr lm, is not that
car is our guidc, but rathcr that thc ccling which shar
pcns thc look to thc act that hcavcn, ctcrnity and in
corruptibility arc impropcr to thc stu man is madc o.
a kind o anthropological disgust or cvcrything which is
not an propcr ingrcdicnt o thc human mixturc. Tis is
not about rcligious prohibitions or mctaphysical shamc,
but rathcr a principlc o adcquacy to rcality that docs not
allow transition or solacc objccts. Tc point is that thc
all is painul, but is also an opcning, thc possibility o cx
pansion, a potcnciao o limits. Tc child is its bcst prc
scntation. thc prohibitions and thc limits a childs world
is madc o arc not thc rcsult o othcr pcoplcs warnings,
but o dircct cxpcrimcntation o dangcr. Tc child knows
rc burns atcr gctting burnt, hcshc knows hcshc will
all atcr having gonc up and allcn, hcshc knows dcnial
atcr tautology has bccn rustratcd.
Custavo Sumpta is an artist who has built a tcrritory
locatcd in nomans land maybc not cvcn his own land.
Tc limits o his tcrritory arc mobilc in tcrms o his lan
guagc, thc matcrials hc transorms or thc tcxturcs hc
rccrcatcs. cincma, pcrormancc, sculpturc, drawing or
photography. Imagination (which rulcs ovcr this tcrri
tory) is providcntial in thc cstablishmcnt o cracks throu
gh which thc artist crcatcs possiblc clds to trcad on.
Tcsc arc not prcdctcrmincd trails. thcy arc traccs that
arc ollowcd, paths that arc ormcd as your lcgs arc on
thcir way. Maybc that is why or Sumpta, action, or, i you
prccr, pcrormancc, is such an important momcnt in thc
crcativc proccss. It all starts rom thc movcmcnts that
thc body, togcthcr with crcc and prodigious intclligcncc,
57
I thcrc is such thing as mcthod or proccss or this
artist, it involvcs gctting a kind o cthnographical point
o vicw, i.c., knowing how to put oncscl in thc ovcrt
position o that which is printcd in thc ront and back o
things. Such position rccalls thc rst pursucrs o human
history. thc Romantic palconthologist or thc Straussian
cthnologist into which thc obscrvcr is magically mcta
morphoscd in thc rcality hc obscrvcs and is transormcd
into that which hc sccs, touchcs, listcns to or scnscs. Tc
organic body bccomcs an ancicnt magical objcct that cap
turcs thc univcrscs cncrgics and cclings. it must always
bc on thc movc in ordcr to kccp up with thc dynamism
o that which is alivc.
A cartographical activity in which thc scntimcntal and
scnsitivc laycrs arc thc touchstoncs and in which mcmory
is thc basis construction is built upon. Movcmcnt, as i
it wcrc air cxhalcd by thc lungs, is thc modality o that
mcmory which gcts stuck in thc instrumcnts it uscs to
do whatcvcritdocs, cxtcnsions o thc body which rc
conqucr ncw instanccs o mcaning through its intcgra
tion in a sculpturc or an action intcrchangcablc and
rcqucntly cquivalcnt words. Custavo Sumptas primitivc
and intuitivc rclationship with thc dicrcnt matcrials
hc rcsorts to makcs him usc his own body as i it wcrc a
happy companion to carths rotating movcmcnts. Tat is
why pcrormancc is his primary languagc. it lics bcorc
cvcrything.
Tc piccc Sumpta shows in Novos Artistas FLP, titlcd
Se roubei foi porque tinha fome I stole because I was
hungry] is paradigmatic o thc tcnsions undcrlying all o
thc artists production. Tc world, in this casc conncd
to thc cxhibition spacc, is transormcd into an cnormous
gravcyard. Tc ground and thc dust thc work is madc o
arc thc synthcsis o thc laws you arc subjcct to and to
which thc artist bows. Tc ccmcnt, carth and black slatc
gardcn is (according to Ccnct and Ciacomctti) a way to
prcscnt thc hugc community o thc dcad as thc atc o all
works o art. Lcath is not thc mask o gcsturc, but rathcr
thc only possiblc cxprcssion in thc ormal cconomy o
thosc who ccl ncithcr hot nor cold, yct it anticipatcs in
thc discovcry o dust undcr our cct thc solc inhcritancc
to bc claimcd. Tc ccling is not onc o nostalgia, but a
sign o thc rcmcmbcring activity o that which no longcr
is, which is no longcr thcrc, which is no longcr said and
thc words or which havc long bccn orgottcn. Silcncc
bclongs to thosc who know thcrc is too much noisc to bc
ablc to say somcthing. cvcn i you do say somcthing, thc
toothlcss mouth produccs only inarticulatc and unintclli
giblc noisc. All wc can do is ccl thc wcight o thc carth
ovcr our boncs, our fcsh, our words.Nc
5S
5:
60
MaFalda SaNToS
o fvtst:Ho u= rtrt:ut stNfos tcm vindo, no scu
ainda curto pcrcurso, a constituirsc a partir dc uma justa
posio cntrc a modularidadc do dcscnho c da cscultura
c uma adaptao subtil ao cspao cxpositivo. Fsta tnica
cspacial das suas intcrvcncs no possui, no cntanto, uma
tnica ormalista, cmbora as qucstcs ormais no scjam
dcscartadas, na mcdida cm quc a ormalidadc do dcscnho
tcm vindo a dar lugar a um mapcamcnto dc rclacs grupais
atravcs dc matrizcs rcpctitivas.
Porvcntura a matcria dc trabalho dc Maalda Santos c a
organizao do cspao social c rclacional. Qucr isto dizcr
quc as suas construcs visuais, partindo dc matrizcs prc
cxistcntcs dc organizao dcsdc o sistcma dc organizao
dc inormao no intcrior do computador atc aos mapas
dc concxcs pcssoais cntrc grupos, passando pcla cstrutu
ra dc incrcncia do mind maping , constitucmsc como
dcscnhos quc pcrmitcm a sua lcitura (no scntido litcral do
tcrmo) mas quc sc armam tambcm como mctadcscnhos,
isto, ossaturas dc cstruturacs visuais quc organizam o
cspao visual. Lc acto, a prtica do dcscnho cncontra rc
qucntcmcntc, nas prticas artsticas actuais, uncs quc
podcriam scr mutuamcntc cxclusivas, mas quc adquircm
agora rontciras fuidas. da prtica do dcscnho como cxcr
ccio ormal dc construo c organizao do campo da viso
atc ao cxcrccio do dcscnho como mapcamcnto dc rclacs
hicrrquicas cntrc dicrcntcs instancias dcscritivas do mun
do, cxistc no dcscnho contcmpornco uma duplicidadc
cntrc ormalidadc c uno quc cncontra rcqucntcmcntc
na topologia a sua possibilidadc cxprcssiva. F ncstc campo
quc sc tcm dcscnvolvido a prtica dc Maalda Santos, csta
bclcccndo topologias criticas do univcrso artstico ou das
suas rclacs dc grupo, sabcndo quc ambas sc cncontram
intimamcntc cntrccruzadas. La mcsma orma quc os ma
pas possucm a sua garantia dc vcracidadc na introduo dc
crros voluntrios quc so como quc sclos da sua autcntici
dadc, tambcm os mapas dc rclacs topolgicas dc Maalda
Santos possucm uma indisccrnvcl possibilidadc ccional,
cando scmprc ao critcrio do cspcctador a idcnticao dos
componcntcs, nos quais guras ou instituics pblicas sc
cruzam com nomcs do univcrso privado da prpria artista.
Fsta orma dc constituio dc tcias quc corrcspondcm
a cibcrmapas dc grupos dc rclacs partc dc um pcculiar
cntcndimcnto das chamadas cstcticas rclacionais, mas pos
sui tambcm um podcr dc cstabclccimcnto dc comunidadcs
cvcntuais dc rclacs, porvcntura da mcsma orma quc os
sistcmas dc comunicao actuais produzcm comunidadcs
dc rccrcncia com cxistcncia uncional mas nunca global
ncm dc longa durao. Como quc produzindo trabalho para
uma utura arqucologia sociolgica, as obras dc Maalda
Santos dcncm c cxpcm ragilidadcs rclacionais c uncs
dc grupo com uma cxistcncia cvcntualmcntc dcbil, mas so
cialmcntc ccazcs cm contcxtos dcnidos. No cntanto, a
sua aprcscntao no cspao, como intcrvcncs artsticas
cmbcbidas na arquitcctura, providcncialhcs uma cspacia
lizao dos scus mccanismos dc lcitura, transormando os
cspcctadorcs cm habitantcs dc um proccsso intcrprctativo
quc s possui scntido a partir da atcno votada dircctamcn
tc a parcdc, a sua imancncia cnquanto limitc sico do cspao
ocupado pcla obra c habitado pclo cspcctador.
A obra quc Maalda Santos aprcscntou ncsta cxposio
consistc numa pintura mural ccctuada a giz c pastcl scco.
Tratasc dc uma imagcm quc rcproduz um cartaz dc circo,
uma chita quc possui a palavra circus cortada na horizon
tal como um subttulo da imagcm. Imcdiatamcntc idcn
ticada como uma imagcm dc cartaz dc rua, a sua ocupa
o monumcntal do cspao c a procicncia tccnica da sua
cxccuo situamsc noutra instancia dc dcscnvolvimcnto
do pcrcurso dc Maalda Santos, cxtcrno aos mapcamcntos
quc antcs aprcscntou. Sc, nos trabalhos antcriorcs, cxistia
uma apropriao dc um univcrso dc rclacs, aqui cxistc a
apropriao dc uma imagcm quc todos idcnticamos com
um dctcrminado univcrso quc pcrtcncc ao nosso imagin
rio o circo , mas quc agora c convcrtido num discurso
dbio acc a prpria situao cxpositiva. Como um salvado
dc um qualqucr dcsastrc, a imagcm da chita c, tambcm, um
salvado no contcxto da situao cxpositiva, um rcsqucio
dc um tcmpo c dc uma situao acctiva. Num ccrto scnti
do, unciona como sc a comunidadc cvcntual quc Maalda
Santos mapcava ossc agora uma comunidadc a constituir
a partir dos nossos prprios proccssos dc rcconhccimcnto.
Somos ns, portanto, a comunidadc dc rccrcncia dcsta pca
quc, mantcndo a sua vinculao ao cspao sico c acrcsccn
tandolhc uma conotao dc rcadymadc, conscguc ainda
cstruturar uma dicrcntc possibilidadc intcrprctativa, como
uma crnica a prpria situao dc concurso no contcxto da
artc contcmpornca. Por m, a situao dplicc (no scn
tido cm quc sc inscrcvc nos nossos acctos mas tambcm
numa instancia critica) quc gcra possui um cco comum ao
scu trabalho passado. a arqucologia acctiva quc dcnc c
colocada ao scrvio dc uma ironia situacional, cspccca c
prccisa. A cxtino c clausura a quc sc rccrc ondc sc situa`
No concurso com quc compactua ou ora, no crculo quc
dcscnha cntrc ns, quc nos rcconhcccmos na nostalgia do
quc rcconhcccmos` us
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a uturc sociological archacology, thc works o Maalda
Santos dcnc and cxposc rclational ragilitics and group
unctions with a possiblc ccblc cxistcncc, yct socially
ccctivc within sct contcxts. Howcvcr, thcir prcscnta
tion in spacc as artistic intcrvcntions cmbcddcd in thc
architccturc givcs thcm a spatialisation o thcir rcading
mcchanisms, transorming thc spcctator into an inhabit
ant o an intcrprctativc proccss whosc mcaning comcs
solcly rom thc attcntion dircctly drawn to thc wall, to
its immancncc as thc physical limit o thc spacc takcn by
thc work and inhabitcd by thc spcctator.
Tc work Maalda Santos has shown in this cxhibition
consists o a wall painting madc o chalk and dry pastcl.
It is an imagc that rcproduccs a circus postcr, a chcctah
with thc word circus cut horizontally as a subtitlc o thc
imagc. Immcdiatcly idcnticd as a hoarding or a postcr
on thc strcct, thc monumcntal way in which it takcs up
spacc and thc tcchnical procicncy o its cxccution arc sct
in anothcr instancc o thc cvolution o Maalda Santoss
work, which is cxtcrnal to hcr prcvious mappings. I thcrc
was in hcr prcvious works an appropriation o a world
o rclationships, hcrc thcrc is thc appropriation o an
imagc wc all idcntiy with a spccic world which bclongs
to our imaginary world (thc circus), but which is now
convcrtcd into a dubious discoursc duc to its cxhibition
situation. As i it wcrc somc kind o salvagc, thc imagc
o thc chcctah itscl is also salvagc in thc contcxt o thc
cxhibition situation, a rcmaindcr o a spccic timc and
acctivc situation. In a way, it unctions as i thc possiblc
community Maalda Santos mappcd had now bccomc a
community to bc constitutcd rom our own rccognition
acknowlcdgmcnt proccsscs. Tcrcorc, wc arc thc rccr
cncc community o this piccc, which, whilc still bound to
physical spacc, to which it adds a rcadymadc connotation,
is also ablc to structurc a dicrcnt intcrprctativc possi
bility, as i chronicling thc contcst situation itscl in thc
contcxt o contcmporary art. Finally, thc twooldcd situ
ation (in thc scnsc that it is inscribcd in our acction but
also in a critical instancc) it gcncratcs has an ccho that is
common to hcr work rom thc past. thc acctivc archac
ology it dcncs is placcd at thc scrvicc o a spccic and
prccisc situational irony. \hcrc do thc cxtinction and
scclusion shc rccrs to lic` In thc contcst shc sidcs with
or outsidc, in thc circlc shc draws bctwccn us, who rccog
nisc oursclvcs in thc nostalgia o what wc rccognisc`us
fH= vovx or rtrt:ut stNfos has, in its still short
cxistcncc, bccn ormcd rom thc juxtaposition bctwccn
thc modularity o drawing and sculpturc and a subtlc
adaptation to thc cxhibition spacc. Howcvcr, thc cmpha
sis on spacc o hcr intcrvcntions is not a ormalist onc
(cvcn though ormal issucs arc not dismisscd), sincc thc
ormality o drawing has givcn way to a mapping o group
rclationships through rcpctitivc matrixcs.
Tc mattcr or thc work o Maalda Santos may wcll bc
thc organisation o social and rclational spacc. Tis mcans
that hcr visual constructions, which arisc rom prccxist
ing organisational matrixcs rom thc inormation or
ganisation systcm insidc a computcr to maps o pcrsonal
conncctions bctwccn groups or mind mappings incrcncc
structurc , arc drawings which cnablc thcm to bc rcad
(in thc litcral scnsc o thc word) but which also makc a
statcmcnt as mctadrawings, i.c., as bonc structurcs o
thc visual structurcs that organisc visual spacc. In ccct,
in currcnt artistic practiccs, drawing rcqucntly comcs
across unctions which might bc mutually cxclusivc, but
whosc bordcrs arc now fuid. rom drawing as a ormal
cxcrcisc o construction and organisation o thc cld o
vision to drawing as a mapping o hicrarchical rclation
ships bctwccn scvcral worlddcscriptivc instanccs, thcrc
is in contcmporary drawing a duplicity bctwccn ormal
ity and unction which rcqucntly nds in topology its
cxprcssivc possibility. It is in this cld that thc work o
Maalda Santos has bccn cvolving, cstablishing critical
topologics o thc artistic world or o its group rclation
ships, awarc that both arc intimatcly intcrtwincd. Much
in thc samc way maps havc thcir guarantcc o vcracity in
thc introduction o voluntary mistakcs that arc as scals o
thcir authcnticity, Maalda Santoss maps o topological
rclationships also havc an indisccrniblc ctional possi
bility, lcaving to thc spcctator thc idcntication o thc
componcnts, in which public accs or institutions minglc
with pcoplc rom thc artists own privatc world.
Tc way thcsc wcbs, which corrcspond to cybcrmaps
o groups o rclationships, arc wovcn comcs rom a pccu
liar undcrstanding o thc socallcd rclational acsthctics,
yct it also posscsscs a powcr o cstablishmcnt o possiblc
communitics o rclationships, maybc in thc samc way
that currcnt communication systcms producc rccrcncc
communitics with a unctional (still, ncvcr global or long
tcrm) cxistcncc. As i shc was producing hcr work or
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64
s cxistcm quando um dispositivo mcdinico as convo
ca mas quc dcpois dc prcscntcs sc tomam pcla prpria
rcalidadc c passam a habitar a rcgio do possvcl c do
cxistcntc. Fsta cspccic dc conuso c ruto no dc uma
dcsconana rclativamcntc a imagcm, mas do rcconhc
cimcnto das suas capacidadcs dc imposio c armao.
Quc sc possam azcr transics imcdiatas cntrc as ima
gcns c o mundo no c um mal, tratasc dc um dado sobrc
a ncccssidadc dc cncantamcnto to prpria da matcria
humana. Ncstcs trabalhos o problcmtico no sc localiza
nas qucstcs sobrc as imagcns como arquivo, mcmria
ou tcstcmunho do rcal, o quc aqui cst cm causa rclacio
nasc com o citio das imagcns, com o podcr cxtrcmo
dc podcrcm scduzir, conquistar, substituirsc a tudo c
a todos.
F ncstc scntido quc o problcma do cincma surgc no
trabalho dcsta artista. So os podcrcs dc cncitiar c dc
tornar igual a vida aquilo quc no passam dc imprcsscs
rcvcladas sobrc pclcula quc importa pcnsar. Atravcs da
mcdiao da luz o lmc capta cspcctros quc dcpois, atra
vcs dc uma invcno, voltam, por momcntos, a tcr uma
prcscna quascrcal. Fm Linha recta em que o Princpio e o
Fim se tocam. E vice-versa, a artista convoca no s a his
tria do cincma, mas tambcm a da cducao da pcrccpo
humana ncccssria para a comprccnso do cnmcno da
imagcm cm movimcnto c do alcancc c rctcno quc
so a fortuna dcsta invcno humana. F tambcm ncsta
obra quc surgc a linguagcm. Na orma dc lcgcndas quc
dclicadamcntc rodam sobrc os otogramas iluminados dc
um ccu azul surgc a pcrgunta. pcrccpo ou conccpo`
No sc trata dc rctrica, mas da inquictao sobrc a natu
rcza da cvidcncia na qual ccoam vozcs mctasicas a duvi
dar sc o mundo cxistc ou sc c uma alucinao do sujcito.
A gcograa do conjunto dc trabalhos quc Mnica Co
mcs aprcscnta c uma cspccic dc pcnsamcnto quc assusta
o prprio pcnsamcnto. so imagcns quc pcnsam, da mcs
ma orma quc uma pintura pcnsa, quc uma cscultura ou
um cdicio pcnsam. No sc trata dc rccnviar a obra ao
scu scr criativo c dc a azcr o ccntro intcligcntc, mas rc
conhcccr na matcria quc c a artc uma intcligcncia prpria
c autnoma um acto quc provoca trcmorcs nas proun
dczas da camada racional, s o scr scnsitivo sabc dcsta
vcrdadc, para o outro scr tratasc dc um cnigma. Nc
MNiCa goMeS MQUINAS LF IMACFNS
A tclconia, a tclcviso, o tclconc, so, cxclusivamcntc,
dc alcance, o cincmatgrao, a otograa, o ongrao ver-
dadeiros arquivos so dc alcance e reteno. Adolo Bioy
Casarcs, A Inveno de Morel (Antgona, Iisboa, 2003)
o 0N:v=vso u= rN:ct cor=s c animado pcla curio
sidadc cm dcscobrir os primciros componcntcs das ima
gcns, aquilo quc as compc c as az movcr. No sc trata dc
cclipsar o scmprc mistcrioso acto das rclacs dc proxi
midadc c lonjura quc as imagcns cstabclcccm com o scu
objccto, mas da composio dc horizontcs pcrccptivos.
Podcrscia dizcr quc atravcs da sobrcposio, composi
o c irisao a artista conscguc criar paisagcns, ambicn
tcs, tcxturas, abbadas cclcstcs. A sua pcsquisa ccntrasc
numa intcrrogao accrca da possibilidadc dc ormao
dc uma imagcm dos scrcs ctcrcos c aparcntcmcntc in
corprcos (nuvcns, sombras, ccus) c sobrc uma rccolha
critcriosa dc imagcns antigas com as quais cstabclccc no
vas rclacs com o intuito dc criar novos scntidos, novas
cxpcricncias, novas viscs. Fm qualqucr dos casos trata
sc scmprc dc usar um conjunto dc imagcns com vista a
abcrtura, no intcrior dos scus prprios objcctos, dc zonas
dc scnsibilidadc, dc pcrccpo, dc scntimcnto.
O dinamismo quc imprimc no scu discurso dcsdobrasc
nos mccanismos quc constri como suportc dc cxistcncia
do scu trabalho. Atravcs dcstas pcas dc cngcnharia dc
mirgica rodas quc projcctam luz c vivicam imagcns,
projcctorcs dc slides quc sobrcpcm c cspacializam as
guras surgcm as dicrcntcs polaridadcs ncccssrias
ao trazcr a supcrcic o quc rcsidc no undo da mcmria,
da imaginao c da capacidadc projcctiva do csprito hu
mano. Tratasc dc uma traduo da imagcm cm cspao,
a qual sc socorrc da multiplicidadc dc clcmcntos como
constituintcs dc um discurso polimrco c scdutor. Ncstc
contcxto no cxistc um tcma, mas um motc quc ao longo
das dicrcntcs pcas sc vai dcscnvolvcndo. A sala ondc sc
cncontram os trabalhos dc Mnica Comcs c uma cspccic
dc portal dc accsso a rcgics quc s cxistcm cnquanto
cxistircm os dispositivos dc luz, uma cspccic dc rcino dc
antasmas, cspcctros, produtos da phantasia.
No caso dcsta artista a intcligibilidadc prcndcsc com
a convocao quc az dos antasmas. So scrcs quc, tal
como as quascprcscnas criadas pcla mquina dc Morcl,
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66
itscl and takc up rcsidcncc in thc rcalm o possibility
and cxistcncc. Tis kind o mixup is not thc rcsult o
any mistrust conccrning thc imagc, but rathcr o an ac
knowlcdgcmcnt o its ability to imposc and arm itscl.
Tc ability to pcrorm immcdiatc transitions bctwccn im
agcs and thc world is not an cvil, but simply a sign o thc
nccd or cnchantmcnt that so charactcriscs humanity.
Tc problcmatic clcmcnt in thcsc works docs not rcsidc
on thc rolc o imagcs as archivc, mcmory or cvidcncc
o rcality, what is at stakc hcrc has to do with thc spcll
imagcs wcavc, with thcir cxtrcmc potcntial to scducc,
conqucr, takc thc placc o cvcrything and cvcryonc.
It is in this scnsc that thc qucstion o cincma appcars
in thc work o this artist. It is on its powcrs to bcwitch, by
giving lic to that which is no morc than imprcssions on
lm, that wc must ocus hcrc. Trough thc mcdiation o
light, thc lm capturcs spcctrcs that latcr, by mcans o a
dcvicc, momcntarily rcturn to an almostrcal prcscncc. In
Linha recta em que o Princpio e o Fim se tocam. E vice-versa
Straight linc in which thc Bcginning and thc Fnd touch
cach othcr. And viccvcrsa], Comcs convokcs not only
cincma history, but also thc history o thc cducation o
human pcrccption, ncccssary not only to thc undcrstan
ding o thc imagcinmotion phcnomcnon, but also o thc
rcaching and rctaining that arc thc fate o this human
invcntion. It is also in this piccc that languagc makcs
an appcarancc. In thc orm o subtitlcs that dclicatcly
roll ovcr thc luminous picturcs o a bluc sky, wc rcad a
qucstion. pcrccption or conccption` Tis is not a mattcr
o rhctoric, but comcs rathcr o thc anxicty conccrning
thc naturc o cvidcncc, across which ccho mctaphysical
voiccs doubting whcthcr thc world rcally cxists or is a
hallucination o thc individual.
Tc gcography o thc group o works prcscntcd by M
nica Comcs is a kind o thought that rightcns thought
itscl. thcsc arc imagcs that think, in thc samc way that
a painting thinks, that a sculpturc or a building think.
It is not a mattcr o rccrring thc artwork back to its
crcativc bcing and placing its intclligcnt corc thcrc, but
o acknowlcdging an autonomous, cxclusivc intclligcncc
in that matcrial that is art itscl a act that gcncratcs
trcmors in thc dcpths o thc rational laycr. only thc scn
sitivc bcing knows this truth, to thc othcr bcing it is
just an cnigma.Nc
IMACF MACHINFS
Tc radio, thc tclcvision, thc tclcphonc arc cxclusivcly
or reaching, thc cincmatographcr, photography, thc pho
nographcr all genuine archives arc or reaching and
retaining. Adolo Bioy Casarcs, Morels Invention.
rN:ct cor=s 0N:v=vs= is animatcd by a curiosi
ty or discovcring thc rst componcnts o imagcs, that
which composcs thcm and makcs thcm movc. Hcr work
is not conccrncd with cclipsing thc cvcrmystcrious act
o thc rclations o proximity and distancc imagcs csta
blish with thcir objcct, but rathcr with thc ormation o
pcrccptivc horizons.
It could bc said that thc artist uscs supcrposition,
composition and irisation to crcatc landscapcs, cnviron
mcnts, tcxturcs, cclcstial domcs. Hcr rcscarch ocuscs
on an inquiry into thc possibility o crcating imagcs o
cthcrcal, apparcntly incorporcal bcings (clouds, shadows,
skics) and on a judicious collccting o ancicnt picturcs,
which shc thcn uscs in ncw rclationships, with thc ob
jcctivc o crcating ncw mcanings, ncw cxpcricnccs, ncw
visions. In both cascs, it is always a mattcr o using a sct
o imagcs to opcn, within thc objccts thcmsclvcs, arcas
o scnsitivity, pcrccption, ccling.
Thc dynamism that marks hcr cxprcssion unolds
across thc dcviccs shc crcatcs as cxistcntial props or
hcr work. Trough thcsc picccs o dcmiurgic cnginccring
whccls that projcct light and viviy imagcs, slidc projcc
tors that supcrimposc and spatialisc gurcs thc various
polaritics that arc nccdcd to bring to thc suracc all that
dwclls in thc dcpths o human mcmory, imagination and
projcctivc capacity bccomc manicst. It is a translation o
thc imagc into spacc, which rcsorts to a multiplicity o
clcmcnts to crcatc a polymorphic, scductivc discoursc.
\ithin this contcxt, thcrc is not rcally a subjcct, rathcr
a moti that is dcvclopcd along thc various picccs. Tc
room in which Mnica Comcs works arc displaycd is a
kind o portal onto rcgions that only cxist as long as thc
light dcviccs cxist, a kind o rcalm o ghosts, spcctrcs,
and othcr products o phantasia.
In thc work o this artist, intclligibility is conncctcd to
hcr convocation o ghosts. Tcsc arc bcings that, likc thc
almostprcscnccs crcatcd by Morcls machinc, only cxist
whcn a mcdiumistic dcvicc summons thcm, but which,
oncc thcy bccomc prcscnt, can bc pcrccivcd as rcality
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6S
F tambcm sc garantc o rcconhccimcnto do mcio rcntc
as obras ocrcccndo aos scus agcntcs, atravcs dc uma cha
rada, modos dc autoidcnticao, como qucm participa
num jogo dc alta(socicdadc)cultura. Lc acto, tratasc
aqui dc lidar com uma linguagcm dc iniciados capazcs dc
idcnticar c intcrprctar a catadupa dc imagcns c sinais, no
mcs c rclacs ocrccidas. Por isso, o qucstionar dc todo o
sistcma artstico proccssasc como rcfcxo intcrna (tauto
lgica c autista) do prprio sistcma. A acoparasita quc
as artistas rcivindicam vcricasc mais como acosimbi
tica do quc como pura pirataria cultural. Porquc scrvc as
duas partcs. qucm cita c qucm c citado, qucm rcconhccc
o original na imitao c as dicrcnas ncla introduzidas.
O mcrcado dc artc c o consumo cultural massicado
criaram, mcsmo aos grandcs muscus c colcccionadorcs,
diculdadcs cm adquirir originais das grandcs obras c
autorcs. A opo pclo fake, tomada pclas Pizz Buin para
atingircm os scus objcctivos dc intermedirias cntrc uma
rcalidadc cxtcrior (criadorcs c colcccionadoras) c um p
blico cspccializado ou gcncralista scm accsso pcrmancntc
aos objcctos criados, parccc, pois, rccurso acilitador. Mas,
anal, complica o proccsso dc rcccpo c intcrprctao
das suas accs artsticas. F vcrdadc quc o rcconhcci
mcnto rpido alivia a complcxidadc, quc torna mcnos
cspcssas ou opacas as imagcns c objcctos. Mas tambcm
c vcrdadc quc, no contcxto actual, cssa c a mais ccaz
dimcnso crtica do sistcma. c a quc vcm pclo lado do
gozo c da ironia, c assim o csgota. O pblico j s dcscja
o (rc)conhccido, c a crtica actual, accitando quc o novo c
j impossvcl ou c no dcscjado pclos pblicos inscguros
mas amintos, alimcntaos do quc clcs dcscjam, mos
trando com crucl ricza a coincidcncia das indstrias da
cultura com as indstrias dc consumo.
A discusso sobrc o cstatuto pardicocclcbratrio dc
tal atitudc dcspcrtanos para a possibilidadc nica dc
possuirmos cpias dc algumas das pcas cclcbrcs, livrcs
dc qualqucr aco pcricial, policial ou judiciria. Como sc
rcpctc longamcntc no lmc dc Orson \cllcs F for Fake
(1:75), s h alsicadorcs c pcritagcm dc alsos porquc
h mcrcado dc artc ou talvcz, diramos ns, porquc h
Histria da Artc.
Todos os artistas j criaram obras quc citam aspcctos
dc outras obras (prprias c alhcias). Fssa soluo vai no
scntido dc csclarcccr a prpria obra, dc a undamcntar
numa autoridadc cxtcrior c supcrior, dc lhc garantir rcco
nhccimcnto mais undo ou mais rpido. O colcctivo Pizz
Buin no institui uma cscola dc alsrios dcscjosos dc
vcndcrcm alsos por originais. O quc prctcndc c vcndcr
alsos alsos o quc, por dupla ncgao, transorma as
suas obras cm vcrdadciras.
ColeCTivo PiZZ BuiN FRA UMA VFZ UMA CASA COM PROBIFMAS
=vt 0rt v=z 0rt ctst ou Fra uma vcz uma casa
ondc viviam quatro mcninas . Podcro cstcs incios
narrativos, cstabclccidos como rcgra imutvcl para a
abcrtura dc qualqucr conto dc adas, scr aplicados a dcs
crio da casa criada pclo colcctivo PizzBuin c ao quc
dcntro dcla sc passapassou` A intcrrogao tcm razo
dc scr. Mas talvcz no cxista uma rcsposta para cla ou
no aa scntido procurla.
Tcramos quc partir do prcssuposto dc quc csta Casa
(com as suas caractcrsticas cspaciais c arquitcctnicas, os
scus adcrcos c as suas protagonistas) sc colocaria ora
da histria, ora do tcmpo, mclhor ainda, quc cxistiria
no tcmpo congclado, succssivamcntc rcpctido quc dc
nc os lugarcs, accs c valorcs nos contos dc adas.
Ora, o quc cnchc csta casa (c a vontadc com quc o quc
cnchc csta casa c cscolhidoconstrudorcunido) parccc
apontar para uma rcalidadc complctamcntc dicrcntc
para uma rcalidadc scm cho ncm tccto, quc scntimos cm
vcrtigcm mais do quc cm transormao, cm acumulao
mais do quc cm consolidao. O quc vcmos parccc rcsultar
dc uma urgcncia pcssoal no rcgisto dc rcalidadcs contra
ditrias a quc s a aco cncctada concrc, ncstc lugar (a
Casa) c ncstc tcmpo (a Fxposio), dimcnso sincrnica.
Tcramos quc partir do princpio dc quc csta instalao
nos obriga a contar uma histria, dc quc cstaramos pc
rantc uma pura rcalidadc narrativa. Ao lado das bulas,
lcndas c mitos, os contos dc adas ocupam um lugar sig
nicativo c a partc no conjunto das grandcs narrativas. A
tradio oral, cstabilizada pcla litcratura romntica c sim
plicada pcla indstria cincmatogrca dc Hollywood,
dcscmpcnha um papcl dc rcvclao, csclarccimcnto c
normalizao dos comportamcntos humanos (inantis
c adultos) nclcs, os contos dc adas, so os quc mais
libcrdadc intcrprctativa garantcm, os quc partcm dc situ
acs mais banais c nos aprcscntam protagonistas mais
prximos da nossa prpria rcalidadc.
As accs do colcctivo Pizz Buin orncccmnos uma
succsso dc clcmcntos capazcs dc intcgrarcm uma nar
rativa com princpio, mcio c m, mas quc, organizados
numa pura lgica (psmodcrna) dc dcsmontagcm, sc
ncgam dcscmpcnhar cabalmcntc tal papcl. No cntanto,
a urgcncia dc rcgistomcmria dc quc almos, cmbora sc
aprcscntc como campo dc ironia c gozo, cngano c pcrda
conscicntc, no dcixa dc rcvclar uma ncccssidadc dc csta
bilizao dc rccrcntcs (cmbora clcs dcpois sc atropclcm
como salvados dc um dcsastrc nos apcrtados cspaos
da casa) c garantia dc rcconhccimcnto ou sobrcvivcncia
cultural (dc qucm os possui c cxibccxpc) pcrantc um
mcio artstico vcrtiginoso c h muito (dcsdc o romantis
mo) scm parmctros dc avaliao cxtcrnos.
6:
A sua casa (csta Casa) no c a Casa dc Flmyr cclcbrizado
por Cliord Irving, cclcbrizados ambos por \cllcs. Aqui
no sc trata dc cnganar ncm colcccionadorcs, ncm galc
ristas, ncm muscus, ncm dc alcanar uma coincidcncia
pcrcita com Picasso ou Matissc ou Modigliani O objcc
tivo c criar vcrdadciros originais tomando como modclo
outros originais, do mcsmo modo quc um artista toma
um aspccto da naturcza (um rosto ou uma paisagcm, uma
jarra dc forcs ou um castclo) para modclo da sua obra.
Tratasc cnto dc uma cspccic nova dc naturalismo ou
dc rcalismo` Ou. o quc c quc nos aasta aqui do rcalismo
c do naturalismo` A ironia, a distncia intclcctual quc
procura clonar c incctar tudo aquilo cm quc toca como
numa vcrso pcrvcrtida do toquc dc Midas` O cvcntual
dcsvio ou norigor na orma, na cscala ou nas matcrias
usadas para rcprcscntar os modclos`
O projccto do colcctivo Pizz Buin rcvcla a ncccssidadc
social c histrica dc rcalizar um Catlogo, ncccssidadc
comum a qualqucr colcccionador ou civilizao. O Catlo
go dcriva dc uma atitudc prcdadora (o dcscjo, a procura,
a dcscobcrta, a conquista, a possc, o consumo do bcm al
canado) c da ncccssidadc dc rcmcmorao da aco c scus
cxitos. Icporcllo, lcndo o catlogo das conquistas dc Lon
Ciovanni, scu amo, ou Salomon Cughcnhcim c Calous
tc Culbcnkian listando as obras adquiridas pcrtcnccm a
mcsma raa. dos quc tivcram mais cxito numa actividadc
quc pcrtcncc a toda a humanidadc, mas tambcm dos quc
parcccm no podcr sobrcvivcr social, cultural cou psico
logicamcntc scm a cxpandircxibir pcrmancntcmcntc.
O quc tcmos aqui c um Catlogo dc obras disponvcis
para consulta c usocpia ao sabor dc ncccssidadcs dcco
rativas dc uma casa. Anal o scntido csscncial do Catlogo
ca, clc tambcm, pcrvcrtido. A sclcctividadc da conquista
quc caractcriza a caa ou o assassnio como uma das (bc
las)artcs, a rcmcmorao das aanhas c a cxibio dos
trocus, so substitudas por voyeurismo, mcmria dicrida,
compra da imagcm da imagcm dc outrcm c, no cntanto,
dcsvcnda uma rcalidadc oculta no bom gosto dos catlogos
dc artc. scndo corolrio da atitudc kitsch, o CatlogoPizz
Buin conduz a uma dccorao cxccssiva c contraditria,
com pcas cscolhidas utilitariamcntc, dc modo a complc
tarcm uma ccna domcstica c no propriamcntc muscal.
A scqucncia quc, dcscjam, vcnha do rcadymadc (ob
jccto comum apropriado para o contcxto artstico) para
o rcadymadc apropriado, vai no scntido das artistas
rccolocarcm um objccto artstico (ou a sua cpia) num
novo contcxto artstico (quc c o da Casa). Mas radi
calizasc pclo acto dc o intcgrarcm num contcxto ar
tstico ondc passa a conundirsc com a Vida (como sc
rcgrcssassc a uma dimcnso noartstica). Lc acto, a
dimcnso artstica da Casa s sc complcta ao scr habitada
(usada, cxpcrimcntada, vivida), como cxposiovidacs
pcctculo, scgundo prcccitos para aos quais podcrcmos,
paradoxalmcntc, aplicar a catcgoria clssica da unidadc
dc Tcmpo, Iugar c Aco.
Fxistcm vrios graus dc distanciamcnto na Obra (ou
conjunto dc obras da Obra nal). O conjunto c ccrta
mcntc instvcl. tcndc a aumcntar indcnidamcntc c no
a csvaziarsc, cmbora a tcndcncia para o innito acabc
por rcsultar como modalidadc dc anulao. No nal, a
Casa aprcscntasc como cruzamcnto dc uma cspccic dc
arquitcctura dadasta com uma hipcrrcalidadc kitsch.
A citao do Merzbau dc Schwittcrs, cstratcgicamcntc
colocada num ccntro oculto da casa, aponta para cssc
conronto. Apcsar do scu cxccsso ormal c matcrial, clc
uncionou historicamcntc como momcnto dc clarcza dc
intcncs c scricdadc dc propsitos no mcio do caos c pa
rdia quc tudo submcrgiu cm mau gosto, navctc artstica
ou cspontancidadc brut, c quc tanto a prtica cmprica
da arquitcctura do Factcur Chcval como a caixa, lugar
por cxcclcncia dc acumulao (do surrcalismo ao nco
dadasmo, do nouveau-ralisme aos anos :0 c scguintcs),
pudcram cxplicar.
A Casa, com as suas alhas dc corrcntc, mau unciona
mcnto dc csgotos, incccia do ogo, com a gua morna
no duchc c as ugas dc gua, as gargalhadas c zangas, os
dcsalinhos ou arrumacs obscssivas, o azcitc saltando
das rigidciras sobrc as pinturas ou o p cado c dcixado
sobrc as csculturas, o rio a cntrar pclas rinchas c uma
Casa com problcmas. Podcmos talvcz iniciar a narrao
do quc ncla sc passa com um. Fra uma vcz uma casa com
problcmas c ningucm alcanava rcsolvclos. No undo,
talvcz ningucm quiscssc rcsolvclos, porquc, na vcrdadc,
todos sc scntiam bcm vivcndo ou visitando cssa Casa.
Mas scr quc podcrcmos acabar a narrao com o can
nico. F vivcram ncla clizcs para scmprc` A intcrrogao
tcm razo dc scr. Mas talvcz no cxista uma rcsposta para
cla ou no aa scntido procurla. +v
72
ONCF UPON A TIMF THFRF \AS A HOUSF \ITH PROBIFMS
(socicty)culturc gamc. In act, it is about dcaling with an
initiatc languagc capablc o idcntiying and intcrprcting
a torrcnt o imagcs and signs, namcs and givcn rclations.
Hcncc thc qucstioning o thc cntirc artistic systcm as an
intcrnal rcfcction (both tautological and autistic) o thc
vcry systcm. Tc parasitc action claimcd by thcsc artists
is morc cvidcnt as symbiotic action than purc cultural
piracy bccausc it scrvcs both sidcs. thosc who quotc and
thosc who arc quotcd, thosc tclling thc original rom thc
orgcry and thc dicrcnccs introduccd in thc lattcr.
Tc art markct and mass cultural consumption havc
crcatcd road blocks, cvcn to thc grcat muscums and col
lcctors, in acquiring originals o thc grcat works and au
thors. Tc option or fake takcn by thc Pizz Buin to attain
thcir goal o bccoming thc middlcgirls o an outcr rcality
(crcators and collcctors) and a spccialiscd or gcncralist
public with no pcrmancnt acccss to thc crcatcd objccts
sccms thus a acilitating rcsourcc. Howcvcr, it cnds up
complicating thc proccss o rcccption and intcrprctation
o thcir artistic actions. It is truc that ast rccognition
rclicvcs complcxity and rcndcrs imagcs and objccts lcss
dcnsc or opaquc. But it is also truc that, in thc prcscnt
contcxt, this is thc systcms most ccctivc critical dimcn
sion, arising rom irony and mockcry, thcrcby cxhausting
it. Tc public only longs or thc (rc)known(cd), and todays
critics, acccpting thc act that what is ncw is impossiblc or
not dcsircd by thc insccurc yct starving publics, ccd thcir
wishcs by showing with crucl icincss how coincidcntal
thc cultural and consumcr industrics arc.
Tc dcbatc ovcr thc parodiccclcbrational status o
such an attitudc awakcns us to thc uniquc possibility o
owning copics o somc amous picccs, rcc o any cxpcrt,
policc or law action. Much likc thc long rcpctitions in
Orson \cllcs F for Fake (1:75), thcrc arc only orgcrs and
cxpcrtisc o orgcrics bccausc thcrc is an art markct or
pcrhaps, wc would say, bccausc thcrc is History o Art.
All artists havc crcatcd works that borrow aspccts rom
othcr works (cithcr thcirs or othcrs). Tis solution aims
to clariy thcir vcry work, o validating it by an cxtcrnal
and highcr authority, o assuring it dccpcr and astcr
rccognition. Tc Pizz Buin collcctivc docs not cstablish
a school o orgcrs cagcr to scll akcs or originals. \hat
thcy want is to scll akc akcs which, through doublc
dcnial, turns thcir works into rcal oncs.
Tcir housc (this Housc) is not Flmyrs Housc cclcbra
tcd by Cliord Irving, both cclcbratcd by \cllcs. It is not
about ooling collcctors, gallcry owncrs, muscums, nor
achicving a pcrcct coincidcncc with Picasso, Matissc or
Modigliani Tc aim is to crcatc truc originals having
othcrs as modcls, much likc an artist uscs onc aspcct o
oNc= 0voN t f:r= fH=v= vts t Ho0s= or Oncc
upon a timc thcrc was a housc whcrc our littlc girls
livcd. Could thcsc narrativc bcginnings, which wcrc
cstablishcd as an immutablc rulc to thc start o any airy
talc, bc applicd to thc dcscription o thc housc crcatcd by
thc Pizz Buin collcctivc, and to what gocswcnt on insidc
it` Tcrc is a point to this qucstion. But pcrhaps thcrc is
no answcr to it, or it makcs no scnsc to look or onc.
\c would havc to start with on thc assumption that
this Housc (with its spatial and architcctural charactc
ristics, its props and charactcrs) is locatcd outsidc thc
story, outsidc thc timc, or, bcttcr still, would cxist in
a rozcn and orcvcr rcpcatcd timc that dcncs placcs,
actions and valucs in airy talcs.
\hat lls this housc (and thc willingncss with what
lls this housc is choscnbuiltasscmblcd) sccms to point
to an altogcthcr dicrcnt rcality onc without a foor or
a cciling, whcrc wc ccl morc vcrtigo than transormation,
accumulation rathcr than consolidation. \hat wc scc
sccms to rcsult rom a pcrsonal urgcncy in thc rcgistry o
contradictory rcalitics concrrcd only by thc action takcn,
in this sctting (thc Housc) and timc (thc Fxhibition), its
synchronic dimcnsion.
\c would havc to assumc that this installation makcs
us tcll a story, that wc would bc bcorc a purc narrativc
rcality. Togcthcr with ablcs, lcgcnds and myths, airy
talcs havc a signicant and spccic placc in thc world o
thc grcat narrativcs. Stabiliscd by romantic litcraturc and
simplicd by Hollywoods lm industry, oral tradition
plays a rolc o rcvclation, clarication and rcstoration o
human (both childrcn and adult) bchaviour. airy talcs arc
thc oncs that allow or morc rccdom o intcrprctation,
start o rom morc common situations and introducc us
to charactcrs closcr to our own rcality.
Tc actions o thc Pizz Buin collcctivc providc us with
us a succcssion o clcmcnts capablc o intcgrating a nar
rativc with a bcginning, middlc and cnd, but which, or
ganiscd in a purc (Postmodcrn) logic o dcconstruction,
rcusc to ully play that rolc. Howcvcr, thc urgcncy o thc
rcgistcrmcmory wc talkcd about, although prcscnting
itscl as irony and mockcry, dcccit and conscious loss, still
shows a nccd or stability o rccrcnccs (though thcy run
ovcr cach othcr as i savcd rom disastcr in thc conncd
spaccs o thc housc) and thc assurancc o rccognition and
cultural survival (o thosc who havc, cxhibitshow thcm)
bcorc a rantic artistic cnvironmcnt long (sincc Roman
ticism) dcvoid o cxtcrnal cvaluation paramctcrs.
Rccognition o thc cnvironmcnt bcorc thc works is
also assurcd by ocring its agcnts, through a charadc, thc
mcans o sclidcntication, as i taking part in a high
73
Naturc (a acc or a landscapc, a vasc o fowcrs or a cas
tlc) as a modcl or hishcr work. Is this thcn a ncw kind
o Naturalism or Rcalism` Or. what is it that distanccs
us rom Rcalism or Naturalism` Is it irony, intcllcctual
distancing that sccks to clonc and incct cvcrything it
touchcs akin to a pcrvcrtcd vcrsion o thc Midas touch`
Or a probablc dcviation or lack o rigour in shapc, scalc
or thc matcrials uscd to rcprcscnt thc modcls`
Pizz Buins colcctivc projcct uncovcrs thc social and
historical nccd to compilc a Cataloguc, a nccd common
to any collcctor or civilisation. Tc Cataloguc dcrivcs
rom a prcdatory attitudc (thc dcsirc, thc scarch, thc
discovcry, thc conqucst, thc posscssion, thc consump
tion o thc attaincd good) and thc nccd to rcminiscc thc
action and its succcsscs. Icporcllo rcading thc cataloguc
o his conqucsts to Lon Ciovanni, his mastcr, or Solomon
Cuggcnhcim and Caloustc Culbcnkian listing thc works
thcy acquircd, all arc part o thc samc brccd, thosc who
wcrc morc succcssul in an activity which bclongs to all
humankind, and to thosc who sccm unablc to survivc so
cial, cultural andor psychologically without continuously
cxpandingcxhibiting it as wcll.
\hat wc havc hcrc is a Cataloguc o all thc availablc
works or rccrcncc and usccopy to thc whims o thc
dccorativc nccds o a housc. Atcr all, thc basic scnsc
o a Cataloguc is itscl pcrvcrtcd. Tc sclcctivity o con
qucst that charactcriscs hunting or murdcr as onc o thc
(nc)arts, rccollccting cxploits and showing o trophics
arc all rcplaccd by voyeurism, dclaycd mcmory, buying
thc imagc o somconc clscs imagcand yct it unvcils a
rcality hiddcn within thc good tastc o art catalogucs. Tc
Pizz Buin Cataloguc is thc corollary o a kitsch attitudc
lcading up to an cxccssivc and contradictory dccoration,
with thc picccsart works choscn in a utilitarian man
ncr so as to complctc a domcstic sccnc but not cxactly
muscumlikc.
Tc scqucncc thcy wish comcs rom thc rcadymadc
(a common objcct appropriatc to thc artistic contcxt)
onto thc appropriatc ready-made is intcndcd to allow
thc artists to rclocatc an artistic objcct (or its copy) in a
ncw artistic contcxt (that o thc Housc). But intcgrating
it in an artistic contcxt whcrc it is mistakcn with Iic
(as i rcgrcssing to a nonartistic dimcnsion) radicaliscs
it. Tc artistic dimcnsion o thc Housc is in act only
ulllcd whcn it is inhabitcd (uscd, cxpcricnccd, livcd)
as an cxhibitionlicshow in accordancc with prcccpts to
which wc might, paradoxically, apply thc classic catcgory
o unity o Timc, Sctting and Action.
Tcrc arc varying dcgrccs o distancing in thc \ork
(or sct o works o thc nishcd \ork). It is a clcarly
unstablc sct. it tcnds to incrcasc indcnitcly and not to
cmpty, though thc tcndcncy to innity rcsults in a orm
o annulmcnt. In thc cnd, thc Housc prcscnts itscl as
cross bctwccn a kind o Ladaist architccturc with a kitsch
hypcrrcality. Schwittcrs quotc rom his Merzbau, stra
tcgically placcd in a hiddcn ccntral part o thc housc,
points to that conrontation. In spitc o its ormal and
matcrial cxccss, historically it workcd as a momcnt o
clarity o intcnt and scriousncss o purposc amidst thc
chaos and parody that cngulcd cvcrything in bad tastc,
artistic navet or brut spontancity, cxplaincd both by
thc cmpirical practicc o thc Factcur Chcval architccturc
and thc box, lieu par excellence o accumulation (rom
Surrcalism to ncoLadaism, rom thc Nouveau-Ralisme
to thc :0s and atcr).
Tc Housc, with its powcr outagcs, rupturcd scwagc,
brokcn cook, mild watcr in thc showcr and watcr lcaka
gcs, laughtcr and ghts, untidincss or obscssivc tidincss,
oil sprinkling rom thc rying pan into paintings or thc
scttlcd dust lct ovcr thc sculpturcs, thc cold sccping in
through thc cracks is a Housc with problcms. \c may
start tclling thc story o what gocs on in it with a Oncc
upon a timc thcrc was a Housc with problcms which
nobody managcd to solvc. Lccp down, maybc no onc
wantcd to solvc thcm as in rcality cvcry onc clt good
living in, or visiting, that Housc. But can wc rcally cnd
thc narration with thc canonic. And thcy livcd in it ha
ppily cvcr atcr` Tcrc is a point to this qucstion. But
pcrhaps thcrc is no answcr to it, or it makcs no scnsc to
look or onc. +v
74
75
76
Andr Cepeda, Coimbra, 1976.
Vive e trabal ha no Porto /
Li ves and works i n Por to.
F o r m a o / S t u d i e s
1995-1996 - col e des Art
dIxelles, Bruxelas / Brussels
(Fotografi a / Photography)
1997-1999 - Centro Portugus
de Fotografia, Porto Curso de
Fotografia / Photography course
1998 - Guillaume Geneste, La
chambre Noire, Paris - Cur-
so de Tcnicas de Impresso /
course in printing techniques
1999 Residncia de artista / artist
in residence, Espace Photographi-
que Contretype, Bruxelas / Brussels.
2002 Workshop para jovens fo-
tgrafos / Workshop for young
photographers, ASEF, Singapore
2003- Residncia de artista / artist
in residence, Antnio Henriques Ga-
leria de Arte Contempornea, Viseu

Oitras actividades / Other activities

1 9 9 1 - 1 9 9 4
Colaborador / Contributor, En-
contros de Fotografa de Coimbra
1 9 9 7 - 1 9 9 9
Tcnico de laboratrio e no de-
partamento de digitalizao do
arquivo fotogrfico / Laboratory
technician, photo archives digi-
talisation department, Centro
Portugus de Fotografia, Porto
2 0 0 3 - 2 0 0 6
Responsvel pel o tratamen-
to e digitalizao das imagens
do projecto www.anamnese.pt
<http://www.anamnese.pt> , pro-
jecto da Fundao Ildio Pinho /
Manages the treatment and di-
gitalisation of the images belon-
ging to project www.anamnese.
pt <http://www.anamnese.pt> ,
a Fundao Ildio Pinho project
2 0 0 6
Criou o / Created Blues Pho-
t o g r a p hy S t u d i o , Po r t o

Expos i es / Sol o Shows

2 0 0 6
Stasis, Galeria Pedro Cera, Lisboa
Moving#3, IN.TRANSIT, Edi-
ficio Artes em Partes, Porto
Provas de Trabalho, Pro-
j e c t o A p n d i c e , Po r t o
Moving#2, Gal eri a AdHoc,
Vi g o , Es p a nha / S p a i n
Moving, Galeria de Arte Cinemti-
ca, Vila do Conde
2005
Anacronia, KGaleria, Lisboa,
2006; Museu de Imagem, Braga
Espace Photographique Con-
t ret ype, Br uxel as / Br us -
sel s (catl ogo / catal ogue)
Jungle, Espao Bartolomeu 5, Lisboa
2 0 0 4
Viseu, Antnio Henriques Ga-
leria de Arte Contempornea,
Viseu (catlogo / catalogue)
Closer, Galeria +Consigo, Coimbra
2 0 0 3
Mapa de Intensidades, Ofi-
cina, espao alternativo da Ga-
leria Fernando Santos, Porto
2 0 0 2
Anacroni a, Gal l er i e I ma-
g e , A a r h u s , De n ma r k
Corpo, tempo, desejo e mor-
te, Galeria Massa, Porto e /
and Vulco dos Capel inhos,
Aores (catlogo / catalogue)
, 2 0 0 1
Pontes, lugares e antropologia,
Silo-espao cultural, CPF/MC, Porto
2 0 0 0
Anacronia, Encontros de Fo-
tografia de Coimbra, Coimbra


Fxposics colcctivas (sclcco)
Croup shows (a sclcction).

2 0 0 7
Prmio EDP Jovens Artis-
tas, Central Elctrica do Frei-
xo, Porto (catlogo / catalogue)
Deslocaes: 4 perspectivas con-
temporneas portuguesas, Co-
mit Europeu Econmico e Social /
European Social and Economic Com-
mittee, Bruxelas / Brussels, 2007
Ant i monumentos , Ant -
ni o Henr i ques Gal er i a de
Arte contempornea, Vi seu
Intro, Espace Photographique
Contretype, Bruxelas / Brussels
PhotoLondon 2007, Ad Hoc
Gal l er y, Londres / London
Bxl, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles
Paris, Paris, catlogo / catalogue
2 0 0 6
Busca Plos, Centro Cultu-
ral Vila Flor, Guimares e / and
Pavilho Centro de Portugal,
Coimbra, (catlogo / catalogue)
Re s i d nc i a s I , Mu s e u
do Ca r a mul o , Ca r a mul o
Encontro de Arte Jovem, Bienal de
Arte, Chaves, (catlogo / catalogue)
CO2, Miedzynarodowe Centrum
Kultury, Cracvia / Cracow, Pol-
nia / Poland, (catlogo / catalogue)
2 0 0 5
Coleco da Fundao PLMJ,
Centro de Artes Visuais, Coim-
bra, (catl ogo / catal ogue)
Creators of European Photogra-
phy, Photo Festival Union, Lodz, Po-
lnia / Poland (catlogo / catalogue)
Desenhar Discurso: Digres-
ses sobre uma urbanidade
disruptiva, Bienal de Cerveira
2 0 0 4
Re-produtores de senti -
do, Arte Sesc, Rio de Janeiro
E no princpio era a viagem, Bie-
nal de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Es-
panha / Spain, (catlogo / catalogue)
2 0 0 3
Colectiva et Puis voil,
Antni o Henri ques Gal eri a
de Arte Contempornea, Vi-
seu, (catl ogo / catal ogue)
Coleco de Arte Contempo-
rnea da Caixa Geral de De-
psitos, Museu Extremeo e
Iberoamericano de Arte Contem-
pornea, Badajoz, Espanha / Spain
Pingyao International Pho-
tography Festival, Pingyao,
China, (catlogo / catalogue)
Salo Europeu de Jovens Cria-
dores, Montrouge/Sant Cugat/
Amarante, (catlogo / catalogue)
2 0 0 2
Galeria Fernando Pradilla, Madrid
Pontes, lugares e antropo-
logia, Cadeia da Relao, Cen-
tro Portugus de Fotografia,
Porto, (catlogo / catalogue)
2 0 0 1
Memrias da Cidade, Encontros de
Imagem, Braga (catlogo / catalogue)
2 0 0 0
Br uxel l es Ac t i ve , C02,
B r u x e l a s / B r u s s e l s
Bruxelles a linfni, Espace Pho-
tographique Contretype, Bru-
xelas / Brussels
77
7S
7: