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Reading time 3 min

Cloud factory

Equipe de mediadores

Memories, an engine, water and soap.That is how Filipino artist David Medalla created the set of works entitled Bubble Machines. One of them, Cloud-Gates (1965/2013), is now part of Inhotim collection and goes on display at the park tomorrow, September 4.

 

Medalla moved to London in the sixties and founded the Signals Gallery, specialized in kinetic art. As an important name for experimental art, he introduced Brazilian artists such as Lydia Clark, Hélio Oiticica, Mira Schendel and Sérgio de Camargo to the European audience. Marcel Duchamp was enchanted by his work and rendered him an homage in the form of a sculpture entitled Medallic Sculpture.

 

In 1964, the artist created the Sand Machine, and ingenious production in which a motor drives a bamboo to produce random drawings and shapes in a sand box.Shortly thereafter, Medalla used participatory art to start showing his interest in political and social issues.In Stitch in Time (1967), the artist invites the public to freely stitch words and phrases onto a piece of fabric. This way, the public becomes part of the process to create the infinite, and dialogs with experiences that go beyond his own experiences.

 

Also known for his performances, whether telling stories, remembering tales or describing amazing scenes, Medalla will make an unprecedented performance at Inhotim on September 4, opening of the new works, including Cloud-Gates.

 

Medalla refers to his work as being atomic, seeking to reach dimensions that go beyond the boundaries of the work itself, adding value and experiences to be lived and shared by the public.

 

The artist has made the invite.Now all you have to do is plan and check it out in person!Click here and purchase your ticket.

 

 

Text by Renan Ribeiro Zandomenico, Art and Education Mediator and the newest admirer of David Medalla.

 

Reading time 4 min

Naná Vasconcelos in Brumadinho

Redação Inhotim

“The body is the best tool, the rest is a consequence of it”.That is how musician Naná Vasconcelos, one of the greatest percussionists in the world, opened his percussion workshop in the former-slave community of Marinhos, district of Brumadinho, which took place on 08/30. In the afternoon, children and youths taking part in Inhotim’s percussion musical initiation project could talk to the artist and find out new ways to make music.

 

First, the rhythm was marked with the feet. Then, Naná encouraged them all to use their hands, and, finally, their voices. No traditional musical instruments were used.This composition of movements and sounds allowed participants to become aware of their own bodies, as well as to work on respiratory awareness and on the sense of group. Even though the gestures were simple, they carry the strength of Afro-Brazilian musicality, which is a striking feature of the former-slave culture, and are essential to preserve this culture. “Here, in the community, we are born with music being part of us.It is a gift that is passed on generation after generation by the Congado and Mozambique Guards”, says 14-year old Rhayane Estefanie Alves, who took part in the workshop and participates in Inhotim’s percussion project..

 

Rhayane Estefanie Alves, integrante do projeto de percussão do Inhotim. Foto: Rossana Magri
Rhayane Estefanie Alves, participant of Inhotim’s percussion project. Photo: Rossana Magri

No domingo, Naná Vasconcelos abriu a programação de grandes shows do Inhotim em Cena. Acompanhado do multi-instrumentista Lui Coimbra, o percussionista levou o berimbau da capoeira para o centro do palco, nos jardins do Instituto. Em uma mistura de brasilidade e som erudito, planejamento e improvisação, os artistas criaram um repertório singular que emocionou o público. “Percussão é símbolo de vida. Se não tiver percussão, quer dizer, se o coração não bater, não tem vida”, define Naná.

 

Naná Vasconcelos fez show nos jardins do Inhotim no domingo, como parte da programação do Inhotim em Cena. Foto: Daniela Paoliello.
Naná Vasconcelos performed in the gardens of Inhotim on Sunday.  Photo: Daniela Paoliello.

Inhotim em Cena 2014 is supported by the Federal Act for Cultural Incentive, Ministry of Culture. It is brought to you by Pirelli, sponsored by Correios and supported by Saritur. Be sure to check out the upcoming shows of Inhotim em Cena! Click here and see the program.

aqui e veja a programação.

Reading time 5 min

Carroll Dunham’s garden

Redação Inhotim

If you think you can visit the entire park in one single visit, beware that this might not be that easy. To experience all corners of the park, including the galleries and gardens, you currently need, on average, three days.As of next week, the visit will become even more interesting.

 

We will explain: every year Inhotim either changes exhibits in one of the four temporary galleries or opens permanent galleries.In September, the Institute presents new works at Galeria Lago (click here to learn more) and opens its eighteenth space dedicated to a specific artist, this time, it´s North-American artist Carroll Dunham.

 

His first contact with Inhotim curators happened in 2005 – before the park was even opened for visitation. This meeting led to an invitation for Dunham to take his experience at Inhotim as a reference and create something new.

 

Born in New Haven (USA) in 1949, Carroll Dunham’s production started in late 1970s in New York, where he still lives. The influences that marked his work during this trajectory range from expressionism to pop art, passing through surrealism, with a touch of eroticism and cartoon aesthetics.

 

Carroll Dunham, Large Bather (quicksand), 2006-2012.
Carroll Dunham, “Large Bather (quicksand)”, 2006-2012.

The result of this mix was the creation of quite a unique style: scenes in which geometric drawings coexist with organic forms, in which abstraction dialogs with figurative art and the nature-culture duality is revealed with vibrant colors. The representation of the body with strong sexual content is also a striking feature in his production. This can be seen in the series of paintings of bathers, to which the artist dedicated countless canvases since the year 2000.

 

For Inhotim, Dunham has created a series of five paintings entitled Garden [2008]. The paintings were finished in 2008 and will be displayed for the first time now, at an old farmhouse located within the park property. The space has been adapted especially for the exhibit.

Além dos traços pretos característicos que descrevem as figuras, a forma do espiral se tornou um código pictórico no trabalho de Dunham. (Carroll Dunham, Garden 1, 2008. Cortesia Gladstone Gallery, Nova York e Bruxelas. Foto: David Regen)
In addition to the black lines that describe the figures, the spiral shape has become a pictorial code in Dunham’s work. (Carroll Dunham, “Garden 1”, 2008. Courtesy of Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels. Photo: David Regen)

Before becoming part of Inhotim’s permanent exhibits, Carroll Dunham’s works have been shown in other institutions renowned in the art scene such as the Museum of Modern Art, in New York, the Musée d´Art Moderne, in Paris, and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, in Madrid.

 

The artist makes no assumptions about the future of art, or even that of painting.When asked about the theme by Blouin Artinfo, he replied: “I have no clue about what lies in the future, but it seems as if people need images”.

 

Plan your visit to Inhotim and visit the works that comprise Garden (2008).

 

Reading time 4 min

New exhibitions at Inhotim

Redação Inhotim

As of September 4, those visiting Inhotim will be able to see several new artworks. Artists from Eastern Europe, Asia and the United States propose a new look towards contemporary art production.

 

According to Rodrigo Moura, art and cultural program director for the Institute, in the past 10 years interest for art from Latin America and other regions outside hegemonic production centers has increased worldwide. “This movement is very much related to a perspective of narrative decentralization. Considering this context, we understand that the role of a space such as Inhotim is not only to collect renowned names, but also to introduce others, less known here”, he says.

 

A new permanent gallery, the eighteenth in the Institute, will be dedicated to North-American painter Carroll Dunham. This gallery will shelter a series of paintings entitled Garden (2008), which comprises five works that reflect the artist’s impressions about Inhotim.

 

carroll
One of the paintings in the “Garden” series (2008), by Carroll Dunham. Courtesy of Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels. Photo: David Regen

Galeria Lago, one of the four spaces that hold temporary exhibits at Inhotim, will receive works by three different artists. Romanian Geta Br?tescu, considered a type of Eastern Europe Louise Bourgeois, will have a major individual display of her production, with works made between 1986 and 2013 and entitled The garden and other myths.

geta
“Medea Hypostases III” (1980), by Geta Br?tescu. Courtesy of the artist and Ivan Gallery, Romania. Photo: Stefan Sava

Dominik Lang, from the Czech Republic, presents Sleeping City (2011), an installation composed of bronze sculptures created by the artist’s father. Amid iron and wooden sculptures, the pieces acquire new meanings.

Domink
“Sleeping City” (2011), by Dominik Lang. Photo: Ondrej Polak

Filipino artist David Medalla will present the work Cloud-Gates (1965/2013) from the Bubble Machines series – kinetic sculpture formed by foam and first created by the artist in the 1960s.

medalla
“Cloud-Gates Bubble Machine” (1963-2013), by David Medalla. Courtesy of Baró Galeria. PR Photo

To celebrate the opening of new projects, musicians Jards Macalé and Jorge Mautner will be on the Inhotim em Cena stage for a special performance. Musical partners and longtime friends, the two artists will replay Brazilian popular music hits and promise to surprise the audience. The concert starts at 3 p.m., near the Magic Square.

Reading time 5 min

Breathe and have fun!

Maria Eugênia Salcedo Repolês

The idea was to spend one morning at the Bronx, in New York, talking with North-American artist John Ahearn.Right at his studio’s entrance, we felt a different energy. Apologizing for not remembering the keywords to communicate in Portuguese, John greeted us with an outburst of energy. The plans immediately changed. All of the sudden, we were getting ready to make the mold of “three… no, even better, four youths!” Nine years ago, he and artist Rigoberto Torres were in Brumadinho doing the same procedure to compose two pieces of work displayed at Galeria Praça, at Inhotim: Rodoviária de Brumadinho [Brumadinho Bus Station] (2005) e Abre a porta [Open the door] (2006).

 

The young participants of Laboratório Inhotim freely moved around the artist’s studio, while John, together with his assistant, started preparing the materials for the sculptures and began moving furniture around the space. He put together a scene, changed it, complemented it, oriented, thought, rethought, arranged things. “Almost like a movie director…”, he joked with one of the young boys. We were indeed in one of his artistic compositions, even though we hadn’t started the sculpturing process Ahearn is so well-known for.

 

Almost 10 years ago, I met Ahearn at Inhotim, in the blue house that was his studio at the time, at the bus station square in Brumadinho, in the streets of Sapé, a runaway-slave community in the region. He recorded and experienced cultural, religious and everyday manifestations of the town.  Afterwards, these experiences became part of his two pieces of work in the Institute’s collection. Each person in the panels was a story, that told the life of the town, the local culture, but which also narrates the strength of gatherings and dialogs. Meeting him again, this time at the Bronx, I remembered the phenomenal human strength in his work.

 

“Where are the straws to make the molds? They always disappear when we are about to start the process… It’s ok, it’s going to work”, says John. And, in fact, everything worked out just fine. The youngsters observed and participated in the artist’s creative and technical process, learning about the details, observing decisions, thinking about solutions.

John Ahearn prepara os jovens para fazer os moldes. Foto: Alice Dias
John Ahearn prepares the young participants for the molds. Photo: Alice Dias

But, after all, bearing in mind the purpose of these youngsters’ trip – research and be inspired to produce the Street Festival in Brumadinho – what could the work of an artist in his studio teach? The answer might be: every process requires effort. Deciding means to transform, and the power of transformation is one of the artist’s tools. Producing something makes a difference in the world. “Isn’t it touching? We are creating four sculptures, that is, four things that didn’t exist before!”, said John in the middle of the process. For him, the answer could be even simpler: “I ask two things of you today: first, breathe. Second, have fun!”.

O resultado da visita ao ateliê do artista, uma experiência que será lembrada para sempre. Foto: Maria Eugênia Salcedo Repolês
The result of the visit to the artist’s studio, an experience that will be forever reminded. Photo: Maria Eugênia Salcedo Repolês

Click here to learn more about our trip. Laboratório Inhotim is sponsored by Banco Itaú.