Liebestod – Love and Death

Exposición / Sismógrafo [ESPACIO CERRADO] / Rua da Alegria, 416 / Oporto, Porto, Portugal
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Cuándo:
16 abr de 2021 - 15 may de 2021

Inauguración:
16 abr de 2021 / 15 a 19 h.

Horario:
De martes a viernes de 15 a 19 h. Sábados de 10 a 13 h.

Precio:
Entrada gratuita

Comisariada por:
Bruno Marques

Organizada por:
Sismógrafo

Artistas participantes:
Vasco Araújo

       

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Descripción de la Exposición

Why are we still the victims of the illusions and disillusions of romantic love? This is one of the questions raised by Vasco Araújo’s video and installation Liebestod. Shown for the first time in 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan, this piece is a meta-operatic work. Two primordial legends of tragic love, preserved in the oral tradition and fixed by poets and troubadours many centuries ago, provided the title of two emblematic operas. Tristan and Isolde and Leyli and Majnun appear side by side in his film to demonstrate that despite the “civilizational clash” between the West and the Middle-East (viz. between Christianity and Islam), both constitute not only the avatars of the same archetype but perhaps of the same model of the human psyche. Liebestod – Love and Death explores romantic love, passion, and the impossibility of the two lovers being together. These issues presented through the identification prism of psychoanalysts from Azerbaijan and Germany who examine and compare the plots of the two operas and go through a series of questions raised by the artist about the definition of love, projection of the difficulties of the protagonists today, or the professional advice on how to act when the illusion collides with reality. Combined with deep lyrics, moving music, and sinister night landscapes of old cemeteries, an abandoned castle, and virgin forests, these conversations immerse the viewer in the thoughts on whether death is the only salvation for eternal love. On the opening day, the exhibition book will be released: a numbered edition signed by the artist, with design by Macedo Cannatà and an essay by Bruno Marques. By taking the form (and function) of a libretto, this publication provides, from a conceptual point of view and aesthetic reception, a strict relationship with the video installation, constituting an extension of it. Vasco Araújo was born in 1975 in Lisbon. Completed his first degree in Sculpture in 1999 at FBAUL, and attended the Advanced Course in Visual Arts at Maumaus in Lisbon. Araújo also took part in residency programmes such as The University of Arts, Philadelphia (2007); Récollets, Paris (2005); and the Core Program (2003/04), Houston. In 2003, he was awarded the EDP Prize for New Artists, Portugal. Since then, he has participated in various solo and group exhibitions both in Portugal and abroad: “Momento à parte”, MAAT – Fundação EDP, Lisboa, Portugal (2019); “Vasco Araújo”, M-Museum, Leuven, Belgica, (2018); “Decolonial desires”, Autograph ABP, Londres, U.K. (2016); “Potestad”, MALBA – Museu de Arte Latino-Americana de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.(2015) “Under the Influence of Psyche”, The Power Plant, Toronto (2014); “Debret”, Pinacoteca do Estado de S. Paulo, S. Paulo (2013); “Em Vivo Contacto”, 28º Bienal de S. Paulo, São Paulo (2008); “Experience of Art”, La Biennale di Venezia. 51st International Exhibition of Art, Venice; “The World Maybe Fantastic” Sydney Biennial (2002), Sydney. His work has been published in various books and catalogues and is represented in several public and private collections.

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