Purge Paper: Reconstructing Narratives of Colonialism by Carla Filipe
Opening on February 16th, at 7:30 pm, in the Exhibition Room of the Escola das Artes in Porto
Between Documents and Dialogues: The Unique Art in the Deconstruction of European Colonialism.
Known for her engaging series of works entitled “Chewing Chewed Paper, the Desire to understand the Old Continent to Spit out its History”, started in 2014 during her artistic residency in Antwerp, Carla Filipe presents, on February 16th, at the Sala de Exhibitions from the Escola das Artes da Universidade Católica, its distinct approach with the exhibition “Expurgar Papel”. In this new chapter, the artist explores the complexities of European colonialism, using documentation from the 19th century. XVII to century. XX purchased in second-hand stores and second-hand markets. A work that challenges artistic conventions, focusing exclusively on collage as an expressive means. On the same day, before the opening of the exhibition, there will be a conference by Lilia Schwarcz on “Images of whiteness: the presence of absence.”
“Art is a complex and complete journey, a privileged way to provoke reflection and transform consciousness, a fascinating tour of the mind and history. Purge Paper is a valuable contribution to critical dialogue about European history. Through Carla Filipe’s meticulous work, we are invited to question, reflect and, above all, understand the nuances of the past that continue to shape our present”, says Nuno Crespo, director of the School of Arts at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
Carla Filipe works solely around this documentation, without resorting to drawing or painting, using only collage as a vehicle and methodology, walking the fine lines between respect and disrespect for the document often considered an “immaculate entity”. In short, this exhibition will be a cutting and sewing of documents from the 21st century. XVI until modernity.
In the construction of these collages, imagination is a constant, the imagination that comes from the action of combining ideas, manipulating content, and using humour, drama, and reality. All the elements used for the collages are fragile, where everything is information, from the various types of paper used, such as newspapers, notes or fantasy paper.
In this unique exhibition, we also have the Industrial Revolution represented, where paper has another manufacture, which distinguishes its durability as a document, being the most contemporary element as well as the introduction of hair, which is also an archive (DNA).
The inclusion of hair relates the work to the body, which is also an “archive”, linking the title itself to “chew” and “spit”; the act of chewing is also an act of chewing, creating saliva mixed with the matter without swallowing. It’s like grinding all the documentation between your teeth and spitting out this file without organization, without categories and preservation.
Following the same idea of repulsion, we also have “sputum” due to inhaling the dust from this documentation that accumulates and we need to purge it (so as not to become contaminated: cleaning). As if the artist wanted to acquire all the documentation possible and chew on everything for a new beginning, through an action of repulsion and liberation transforming all the matter that is expelled from her mouth into a kind of glue that remains sticky on the surface. Thus, becoming aware that the archive is colonizing.
This is the first of four exhibitions in the cycle “Não foi Cabral: reviewing silences and omissions”, a program co-curated by Lilia Schwarcz and Nuno Crespo, which includes an agenda of concerts, conferences, exhibitions and performances, which will take place between February 16th and May 24th. The cycle is organized by Escola das Artes, in partnership with the University of São Paulo (Brazil) and Princeton University (USA). Carla Filipe’s exhibition will be open to the public between February 16th and March 15th.
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