A low humming sound along with a dulcet narration greets visitors to the gallery. The sounds belongs to a floor-to-ceiling film projection that illuminates one wall in the darkened room, aside from the immersive video projection, visitors were also captivated by the sound by Pedro Oliveira along with the artist's poetic narration. This first work, “As Flames Engulfed the River (2018)”, is a video essay in reaction to the recent history of dictatorship in Brazil, recalling the suppression of the regime, colonialism and sexual violence. Luiza Prado incorporates poetic symbols associated with personal experiences in the video, opening with a peacock flower and red scarf, gloves and other accessories. The exhibition was themed around the colour red— which is commonly associated with passion, strength, power and violence — and also mementos of childhood.
Multilogues on the Now is a long term conversation that begin in 2016 with regards to decolonial methods of care, reproductive health and eco-environmentalism. Technologies of the Body being the curatorial theme this year, the works are based on Luiza Prado's comprehensive research on the decolonialisation of medical knowledge, seeking coalitions that cross limitations of national geopolitical belonging (Janečkova, 2019). Prior to this exhibition, Prado's works have always been interested in the theme of western colonialism and hierarchicalism that subjugates people's perspectives and bodies.
A group of red branches with tea-like liquid dripping from transparent tubes into the teacups on the table the sculpture is built on sits in the middle of the second room of the red themed exhibition. According to Prado, the branches mimic the three rivers of Brazil, Maracanã, Pedras and Guedes. The peacock flower trees were once again featured in The imaginary becomes complete on the margins of every new linear projection (2018), a symbol of significance to the generations of women in her family. Specter of Non Presence (2019), a wall sculpture made of crumpled textile of red colour palette blooms like a flower on the opposite wall, embedded on it were decorative beads and seeds of contraceptive plants, a comment on fecundity and the birth control through her personal history. Lining the adjacent wall were similar yellow fabrics that brought to mind the works of feminist artist Hannah Wilke as Kovaceva mentioned. Wilke often use her own body as the subject of her works, openly questioning the representations of females in arts and media during her time. Prado also addresses the topic by confronting her relationship with her own body, compared to Wilke’s more powerful and provocative works, her works seem more subtle and abstract. While the artworks were aesthetically interesting, learning about their contexts shed new light to her works. The context in which Prado’s works were created are intrinsic to the meaning of her works especially with such comprehensive research behind them. Referring to the interrelationship between the practises and technologies of birth control and system of colonial hierarchy, Prado’s art involve social engagement and political motives. Although she is unable to change cultural attitudes in regard with these issues, she able to raise awareness by sharing her own stories.
In a corner of the space a two-channel video is projected on adjacent walls. While on one side of the screen projection Prado attempted to hold birth control pills in her mouth, protected by a condom for as long as possible, the other screen was of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro giving a speech on population controls and still images related to colonial biopolitics. Eruptions (2019) seems to be Prado's visual statement on the issue of fertility control which oppressed neo-colonized women. The display of the piece recalls the work of feminist artist Pipilotti Rist, Ever Is Over All (1997) and Kader Attia's Open your Eyes (2010) which was also organized in a similar comparative slide show. The corner projection is considered one of the conventional methods of exhibiting multi-channel videos. Placed side by side at an angle, the two clips look like they could be reflection of the other, the artists could be showing us two sides of the same issue, but also the possibility of one being the other. In this case, Prado’s performance seems like a response to the Bolsonaro’s speech, arranged in an angle, it is almost like the two are having a conversation.
Prado's practice draw put the dynamics of knowledge, power, the boundaries of human body and nature under the process of colonialism and neo-colonialism. The works of the artist are inextricable from such political issues, their very fabric is imbued with her statement of intent. For the works of Prado, it is important to read through the descriptions of her work to gain a better understanding of her intention as they are not necessarily visible at first glance despite being deeply meaningful...
Luiza Prado de. O Martins
Display
Photographs by Tan Sher Lynn
References
Janečkova, H. (2019) TranzitDisplay : Multilogues on the Now: Technologies of the Body
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