Until June 24, don´t miss in the Serralves Museum and Park the exhibition "I'm Your Mirror" from Joana Vasconcelos

In Porto, the Serralves Museum and Park host one of the most worldwide renown Portuguese artists: Joana Vasconcelos brings the exhibition "I'm Your Mirror", which can be visited between February 19 and June 24.

This show gathers more than 30 pieces, dating from 1997 until now, covering two decades of artistic practice. It includes many of her best-known works, such as "Cama Valium", "A noiva", "Burka", "Coração independente vermelho", "Marilyn" and "Lilicoptère", as well as new works specially created for this show, like "Finisterra", "I’ll Be Your Mirror" or "Solitário", all of which produced in 2018.

"I'm Your Mirror" stretches from the museum to the gardens of the Serralves Park through monumental outdoor sculptures that promise to amaze all those who pass by!

Find more information about this exhibition and the Serralves Museum and Park at:
- Exhibition guide
- https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/401011
- https://www.serralves.pt/en/activities/joana-vasconcelos-i-m-your-mirror/
- https://www.visitportugal.com/Parque da Fundação de Serralves
- https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/museu-de-arte-contemporanea-de-serralves

Joana Vasconcelos in ART WARS

Photo: Luís Vasconcelos

The portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos is taking part in the project Art Wars, which challenged various artists to costumize a Stormtrooper helmet, created by Andrew Ainsworth for the Star Wars movies.

The result will be revealed to the public at Saatchi Gallery, in London, between October 9th and 13th. Among the invited artists are Jake and Dinos Chapman, Damien Hirst, David Bailey, Mr. Brainwash and Paul Fryer.

The project includes a series of posters that will be showcased for 4 weeks on London Underground's Regent's Street station, during Frieze London.

Art Wars was created by Ben Moore with the aim to raise funds to find his brother missing since 2003. At the end of the exhibition, the works will be auctioned and revenues will revert towards the 'Missing Tom' fund.

Source: Joana Vasconcelos 

Trafaria Praia/Pavilion of Portugal at the 55th Venice Biennal by Joana Vasconcelos



©Vasconcelos Trafaria Praia website

 From 1June- 24 November 2013 the Trafaria Praia is Vasconcelos's proposal for the Participation of Portugal at the 55th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia.

The Venice Biennale, is a very important event dedicated to art, that every two years, welcomes hundreds of artists and other key players of the international scene.




The Trafaria Praia is Vasconcelos's proposal for the Participation of Portugal at the 55th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia. Her project addresses the historical relationship between Portugal and Italy, which evolved through trade, diplomacy, and art. Lisbon and Venice have many commonalities; both cities played key roles in broadening the European worldview during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, redefining the imago mundi by establishing networks between East and West. Trafaria Praia looks at the contemporary contact zone between the two cities by examining three fundamental aspects they share: water, navigation, and the vessel. 

Vasconcelos constructs an allegorical correspondence between an iconic Lisbon ferryboat, the cacilheiro, and the picturesque Venetian vaporetto. Cacilheiros carry passengers across the River Tagus on a daily basis. Their customers are primarily commuters who live in Lisbon's southern suburbs and work in the city. Until the building of the main bridge into Lisbon in 1966, these ferryboats were the only means of public transportation between the city and the south bank. Thus, they have always had blue-collar and middle-class associations and are a well-known, politically charged social symbol in Portugal.

Floating Pavilon
Vasconcelos has brought to Venice an actual cacilheiro, the Trafaria Praia, and is presenting it as the Portuguese pavilion. This particular ship was decommissioned in 2011, and in the past six months it has undergone major transformations in a shipyard on the outskirts of Lisbon. In Venice, it is moored next to the Giardini's vaporetto stop and sails around the lagoon at regular intervals. Rather than a conventional pavilion with a fixed location, then, Vasconcelos offers up an idealistic floating pavilion. She is deterritorializing territory—metaphorically circumventing the power struggles that so often mark international relations.

Vasconcelos is also presenting the Trafaria Praia as her art. Informed by Marcel Duchamp's "assisted readymade," she has changed the object without removing its functionality. On the outside of the ship, from prow to stern, she applies a large-scale panel of azulejos (tin-glazed, blue and white, hand-painted ceramic tiles) that reproduces a contemporary view of Lisbon's skyline, from the Bugio Tower to the Vasco da Gama Tower. The work takes its inspiration from another large-scale panel of azulejos, the Great Panorama of Lisbon, which depicts the city before the legendary earthquake of 1755 and is a quintessential expression of the baroque-style golden age of azulejo production in Portugal. Vasconcelos has made other works that involve covering objects in azulejos; in doing this she evokes the material's frequent deployment in architecture.

On the ship's deck is an environment made of textiles and light. This also echoes past works by Vasconcelos, such as Contamination (2008–10) and the series Valkyries (2004–ongoing), in which organic, often colorful forms hanging from the ceiling interact with the surrounding architectural elements. This new work consists of a complex medley of blue-and-white fabrics all over the ceiling and walls, from which crocheted pieces, intertwined with LEDs, emerge to create a compelling effect. The installation suggests a surreal, womblike atmosphere or the deep ocean—something out of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, perhaps, or the Bible story of Jonah and the Whale. It envelops visitors, eliciting both an intellectual and a sensorial response.

Public ProgramsOn the quarterdeck, various areas have been set up, including a stage. These spaces are sites for the promotion of Portuguese culture—public programs including performances, talks, and more. Of special note are the daily events that take place during the preview. In the mornings there are roundtable discussions with key players from the Portuguese art scene addressing topics such as the history of the Participation of Portugal at the Venice Biennale and the representation of the city. In the late afternoons there are concerts with Portuguese musicians and guests featuring several different musical genres, from classic fado to experimental electronica.

More information at: http://www.vasconcelostrafariapraia.com/

Source: Vasconcelos Trafaria Praia website

Joana Vasconcelos exhibition at Palacio Nacional da Ajuda

The name of Joana Vasconcelos needs no introductions and her work speaks for itself on the international contemporary art scene. After her success at Versailles, Joana Vasconcelos returns to Lisboa to present her most ambitious exhibition to date in the magnificent halls of Ajuda National Palace.

The dialogue between the artist's works and the unique interiors of the Palace promises to transform this key event into the most important contemporary art exhibit in Portugal.

The exhibition is held in the Palace's royal apartments and features the last decade of work by Joana Vasconcelos, bringing together iconic works such as "A Noiva", "Coração Independente" and "Marilyn", alongside more recent works not previously shown in Portugal, such as Lilicoptère, Perruque and War Games.

Last year, Joana Vasconcelos became the first woman and the youngest artist to exhibit at the Palace of Versailles, an exhibition visited by 1,679,000 people, making it the most visited exhibition in Paris in the last 50 years.

In Lisboa, Ajuda National Palace is no doubt the best setting to host this show. This magnificent work of Portuguese architecture, built in the first half of the 19th century, was the official residence of the Portuguese monarchy until the establishment of the Republic. In 1968 it opened to the public as a museum and is one of the most important Portuguese museums of decorative arts. The Palace still retains the royal chambers, beautifully restored to its original condition of the era.

Until 25 August, Thursday through Sunday, from 10am to 7pm, Saturdays until 9pm, at Palacio Nacional da Ajuda, Largo da Ajuda.
Normal ticket 10 euros, family ticket from 20 to 24 euros.
Free admission for children up to 6 years old.Closed on Wednesdays

More information at:
- www.ilovelisboa.pt
- https://www.facebook.com/JoanaVasconcelosPNAjuda


Source: VisitLisboa

Contemporary art exhibition by Joana Vasconcelos at Palácio da Ajuda

Joana Vasconcelos is one of biggest portuguese artists ... pretty soon at the Palácio da Ajuda some of its main works will be exhibited ... March 23 until August 25.

In the various palace rooms of Palácio da Ajuda, visitors can see works like the giant women’s shoes “Marilyn” (2011), made from traditional Portuguese cooking pans and “Red Independent Heart” (2005) and “Black Independent Heart” (2006), made of plastic spoon, side by side with some recent works never exhibited in Portugal, as the Lilicoptère, Perruque or War Games.

Everyday: 10h to 19h00 - Except Saturday: 10h to 21h00
Closed on Wednesdays

 
More information at:
- www.joanavasconcelos.com
- www.pnajuda.imc-ip.pt
- http://www.pnajuda.imc-ip.pt/PressRelease


Source: VisitLisboa.com

Joana Vasconcelos will exhibit in Versailles: June - September 2012



©Chateau deVersailles

 From 19 June to 30 September 2012, the Palace of Versailles presents the exhibition Joana Vasconcelos Versailles in the State Apartments and the gardens.

Some of the works that will be included in the exhibition are, "Marilyn" ( two shoes with stiletto heels, made of stainless steel pans, lids and cement), Gabriel staircase by Mary Poppins (a vast tentacular body made from an original mix of textiles and pre-existing objects, an assembly of industrial textures and hand-sewn fabrics) and The Red and Black Independent Hearts (that reproduce the Viana heart – an emblematic theme of Portuguese jewellery - and offer two monumental versions of it: one black, the other red, colours that symbolise death and passion, war and peace) .

Joana has also created a drawing for a tapestry, especially for this event, which will be manufactured at the Tapestry Factory of Portalegre and will measure approximately 13 sqm.

Since 2008, the surroundings of the Palace of Versailles (Chateâu de Versailles) have assisted to narratives between great artists of the Baroque period - André Le Nôtre, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, Charles Le Brun, Jules Hardouin-Mansart - and contemporary artists: Jeff Koons in 2008, Xavier Veilhan in 2009, Takashi Murakami in 2010 and Bernar Venet in 2011.

From 19 June to 30 September 2012, the public will have the opportunity to see the works of one of the most successful Portuguese contemporary artists and the first woman to exhibit in this project, as well as the youngest until today.

Joana Vasconcelos was born in Paris in 1971.

Opening times:
- The exhibition is open every day except Mondays.
- For the works exhibited in the Grand Apartments, open from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm (last admission at 6:00 pm).
- For the works exhibited in the gardens, open from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm.

More information about this exhibit at:- http://www.vasconcelosversailles.com/
- http://en.chateauversailles.fr
- http://www.joanavasconcelos.com/

And more on these unique tapestries at http://www.mtportalegre.pt