The book of transfigurations
2020-2022
collaboration with Adriana Romero
Livro das transfigurações [The book of transfigurations] wanders around the origins of the simulacrum, the deviations of the image. Through a series of 7 videos, we propose a journey through the metamorphosis of the same idea, which manifests itself in recurrent images, recovered from ancient myths, dystopian fictions, and computer programs. They are stories of doubles: the myth of Pygmalion, the Invention of Morel and the enchanted "moiras". The first contour of the shadow – testimony of an absence, the image that turns into life or the life that is after all image – , between the mythological simulacrum and the digital simulation. We follow the obsession of an image that searches for its referent – one could also say the aura – and that in this process repeats its creation and destruction. These attempts at incarnation are refracted in video, photography, drawing and text, disaggregated and cumulative, revealing their nature of substitution.
Livro das transfigurações [The book of transfigurations] was a commission from gnration, in 2020, for the development of a new artistic work to be featured online on the website and social networks of gnration. In 2022, the project took the form of a physical exhibition and publication thanks to the support of the Garantia Cultura Programme, promoted by the Portuguese Republic – Ministry of Culture.
The book of transfigurations 2022 - Views of the exhibition "The book of transfigurations" at ARTES, Porto
1, 2 - Livro das transfigurações I - full HD video, sound, 1'08'', loop - mounted on corten plate structure
3, 4 - Livro das transfigurações II - 4k video projection, sound, 4'26'', loop on fabric mounted on corten plate structure
5, 6 - Livro das transfigurações III - full HD video projection, sound, 1'31'', loop on fabric mounted on corten plate structure
7, 8 - Livro das transfigurações IV - full HD video, no sound, 1'52'', loop mounted on corten plate structure
9, 10 - Livro das transfigurações V - full HD video projection, sound, 2'18'', loop mounted on corten plate structure and galvanized steel
11, 12 - Livro das transfigurações VI - full HD video projection, sound, 1'31'', loop - mounted on corten plate and aluminium structure
13, 14 - Livro das transfigurações VII - full HD video projection, sound, 35'', loop on rearscreen projection mounted on a corten plate structure
The book of transfigurations 2022 - Views of the exhibition "The book of transfigurations" at Museum of Archaeology D. Diogo de Sousa, Braga
1, 2 - Livro das transfigurações I - full HD video, sound, 1'08'', loop - mounted on corten plate structure
3, 4 - Livro das transfigurações II - 4k video projection, sound, 4'26'', loop on fabric mounted on corten plate structure
5, 6 - Livro das transfigurações III - full HD video projection, sound, 1'31'', loop on fabric mounted on corten plate structure
7, 8 - Livro das transfigurações IV - full HD video, no sound, 1'52'', loop mounted on corten plate structure
9, 10 - Livro das transfigurações V - full HD video projection, sound, 2'18'', loop mounted on corten plate structure and galvanized steel
11, 12 - Livro das transfigurações VI - full HD video projection, sound, 1'31'', loop - mounted on corten plate and aluminium structure
13, 14 - Livro das transfigurações VII - full HD video projection, sound, 35'', loop on rearscreen projection mounted on a corten plate structure
The book of transfigurations I 2020
full HD video, sound, 1'08'', loop
The book of transfigurations II 2020
4k video, sound, 4'26'', loop
The book of transfigurations III 2020
full HD video, sound, 1'31'', loop
The book of transfigurations IV 2020
full HD video, no sound, 1'52'', loop
The book of transfigurations V 2020
full HD video, sound, 2'18'', loop
The book of transfigurations VI 2020
full HD video, sound, 1'31'', loop
The book of transfigurations VII 2020
full HD video, sound, 35'', loop
Supported by: gnration
Garantir Cultura - Portuguese Republic
Special thanks to: Luís Fernandes