Artists | Despina

Ania Reynolds

01.07.2019 - 31.07.2019

Ania is a composer and musician based in Melbourne, Australia. Her love of music in its many forms and as a universal language has led her to work across a diverse range of musical styles, from composition for theatre and film to performing in bands to releasing her first solo album as electronic artist Synthotronica. As a soundtrack composer, she has collaborated on projects ranging from audio installations to contemporary dance, children’s theatre to video art, and a recent solo performance at Melbourne’s Planetarium.

Ania’s project at Despina is entitled This City This Sound. In this project she composed a musical work that is inspired by, and features elements of, the sounds of the city of Rio De Janeiro. Ania is interested in the sounds that make up a city – what are the sonic characteristics of a city, and what are the sounds that contribute to its identity? During her residency, Ania spent time making field recordings of various locations throughout the city of Rio de Janeiro, exploring different sonic environments and gaining a sense of the city’s sonic personality. She gathered a diverse palette of sounds from which she drew to create her composition, which incorporated these recordings with other musical elements in a recorded musical work presented as an instalation at Despina.

Following this initial presentation in Rio, Ania plans to build a series of further compositions using this process by undertaking her This City This Sound project in other cities around the world.

More information

https://www.aniareynolds.com/
https://www.facebook.com/synthotronica/
https://synthotronica.hearnow.com/

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Verônica Vaz

01.06.2019 - 30.06.2019

Born in Pelotas (RS), lives and works in Porto Alegre (RS). She holds a degree in Advertising from ESPM-RS and currently is doing her pHd in “Curatorial Practices” at the Arts Institute – Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Porto Alegre. Veronica is a multidisciplinary artist who has also developed curatorial projects and other She has also worked as an educator at the Mercosul Biennial and as a curator assistant at the Rio Grande do Sul Art Museum Ado Malagoli and MAC-RS.

Her practice is mostly related to performance and encompasses a range of strategies and mediums such as live actions, photographs and videos. Her research consists of some auto-biographical questions which explore the feminist universe in co-relation with the geographies of the spaces that she visits and travels to. Her works are contextual and arise from the actual experience of these displacements. The geography of spaces, the cultural issues of different countries influence her look on the world, on art, and on issues inherent to the feminine universe.

During her residency at Despina, the artist continued to develop a project based on the pathology of Endometriosis, a feminine disease of which she experiences. Veronica investigated the stages of the disease in her own body, the remains left by it in her body memory, the physical and psychological consequences of living with this uncured pathology whose treatment is extremely evasive and aggressive. Many women suffer from this disease, but very little is heard about it and its consequences, which include difficulty in getting pregnant (or even unfeasibility of pregnancy), and living with often unbearable pains and cramps.

Solo exhibitions
Os Azuis de Verônica at Sala de Exposições Angelita Stefani – Universidade Franciscana, Santa Maria/RS, Brazil [2018]; A Little White Chapel, at Centro Histórico-Cultural Santa Casa, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil [2019].

Group exhibitions
“Graças às Deusas” at Perestroika and Plataforma Artkin, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil [2019]; “II Pega” at Centro Municipal Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil [2018]; “Placentária” at Museu de Arte Contemporânea RS, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil [2018]; “Água Essência da Vida” at Palácio do Ministério Público RS, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil [2018]; “Mestre Reinventados” at Galeria de Arte DMAE, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil [2018]; Performance International Biennial, Bogotá, Colombia [2018-19]

Residencies
Afecto Societal, Curatoria Forense, Guanajuato, México [2018]; Acción/Transacción, Curatoria Forense, Buenos Aires, Argentina [2018]; ECO Sound Art Residency, Casero Residência, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [2018]

More information
Facebook: veronicapvaz
Website: http://www.veronicavaz.com
Instagram: @veronicavaz

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by Frederico Pellachin

Maga Berr

16.05.2019 - 31.07.2019

Born in Lima (Peru), lives and works in Amsterdam (Netherlands). Witnessing diverse power struggles for emancipation in her country of origin has influenced her practice. Her goal at the moment is to carry out the project “A house for the un-known”, which will be developed within the Despina Residency Programme and in the city where she lives, Amsterdam (within the residency context of CBK Zuidoost).

In this project, Berr is interested to observe the social inequalities within the urban systems of housing, urban planning and design. How do people get excluded or included? And why? Part of the problem is due gentrification, mostly a consequence of our unequal societies. In her artistic practice, she usually explores and challenges social or historical inequalities through a sculptural process. To develop her project in Rio, she connected with people who were positively or negatively affected by this situation of urban inequality. During the process, she used found materials in combination with her own constructions. Berr also coordinated a sculpture workshop with residents of vulnerable areas of the city, the result of which was shared at Despina’s space along with the final showcase of residences.

More information
Website: https://magaberr.net/

This residency project is financially supported by the Mondriaan Fonds and the Stichting Stokroos Foundation.

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by Frederico Pellachin

Paul Setúbal

27.05.2019 - 30.06.2019

Born in Aparecida de Goiânia (GO), lives and works between Goiânia, Brasília and São Paulo. He holds a Phd and a Master’s Degree in Art and Visual Culture from the Federal University of Goiás (UFG). His works are part of public collections such as the Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR), Museu de Arte de Brasília, Museu de Arte Contemporânea, Goiás (MAC – GO) and Casa do Olhar Luiz Sacilotto. He is a member of the EmpreZa Performance Group.

The body is a dimension constantly explored in his production, an important material, social and geographical support of discussions that permeate situations of conflict, either as a way of experiencing and testing its physical limits, or as a way of translating relations of power. His research develops in various media such as sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, video, photography and performance, addressing the problems and symbologies of the body in contemporary society, its use, control, violence, resistance, abuse and power relationships.

During his residence at Despina, the artist will develop works that deal with the political and social situation of the country, always attentive to the daily events that surround the city of Rio de Janeiro and the surroundings of the studio space.

Solo exhibitions
“Closed Body”, at C Galeria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [2018]; “Damage and Excess”, Galeria Andrea Rehder, São Paulo, Brazil [2016]; “Fire Warning”, Elefante Centro Cultural, Brasília, Brazil [2015].

Group exhibitions
29th Edition of the Program of Exhibitions of Centro Cultural São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 36th Panorama of Brazilian Art, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brasil [2019]; “Art Democracy Utopy: Who does not fight is dead!”, Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; “Demonstration by Absurd”, Instituto Tomie Othake, São Paulo, Brazil [2018]; “The Flags of Revolution”, Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, Recife, Brazil; 13th Verbo, Galeria Vermelho, São Paulo, Brazil; “Bone”, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil [2017]; Dark Mofo, Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania, Australia; Behind the Sun, HOME, London (UK); “The Color of Brazil”, Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [2016]; “Communal Land: Marina Abramovic + MAI”, Sesc Pompéia, São Paulo, Brazil [2015].

Awards/Residencies
7th SP-Arte Residency Award, Delfina Foundation, London – UK [2019]; Foco Bradesco ArtRio Award, Despina Residency Programme, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [2019]; Pivô Arte Pesquisa [2018]; 45th Luiz Sacilotto Contemporary Art Salon, Prêmio Aquisição [2017].

More information
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.setubal
Website: https://www.paulsetubal.com
Instagram: @paulsetubal

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This residence happens as a result of the award received by the artist at the 6th FOCO Bradesco ArtRio Award in 2018.

Hilda de Paulo

01.05.2019 - 31.05.2019

Hilda de Paulo (Inhumas-GO, Brazil, 1987) lives and works between Brazil and Portugal. She is a transvestite woman, artist and curator, little princess of the decolonial transfeminist Brazilian Cerrado, author of the Arquivo Gis project, founding member of Cia. Excesses and the eRevista Performatus, and organizer and director of the Mostra Performatus. She is currently a Master’s student in Fine Arts with a course in Sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto in Portugal. Also, at the same faculty, she did a specialization in Contemporary Artistic Practices and, at the Faculty of Arts of the same university, graduated in Art History.

The artist particpated in national and international collective exhibitions, and some of her works are part of the collection of museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil), the Museum of Contemporary Art of Niterói (Niterói-RJ, Brazil) and the Memorial Foundation of Latin America (São Paulo-SP, Brazil).

Since 2010, she has explored a series of artistic procedures with an emphasis on expanded painting, mixing his autobiography with other real and fictional stories, bringing together elements of literature, contemporary culture, art history and mythologies from different civilizations.

More information
Website: www.ciaexcessos.com.br/hilda-de-paulo/biografia/
Instagram: @hilda.de.paulo
Facebook: /eu.hilda.de.paulo

Brooks Dierdorff

01.05.2019 - 31.05.2019

Lives and works in Orlando, Florida (USA). He is an assistant professor of photography at the University of Central Florida. His research explores photography’s crucial role in mediating our current relationship to nature in the age of the Anthropocene. Often taking final form as installation, Brooks uses the tension between photography and other mediums to deconstruct imagery and material culture associated with the outdoors.

While in residence at Despina, Dierdorff will be researching and making work about the Tijuca National Park, an area once decimated by agriculture that was eventually completely replanted in order to preserve Rio de Janerio’s water source. The artist sees the Tijuca National Park as an ideal symbol for the complex relationships between humans and the environment that continues to be played out all over the world.

More information
Web site: www.brooksdierdorff.com

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Mariana Magalhães Costa

01.04.2019 - 30.04.2019

Lives and works in Rio de Janeiro. Costa has also lived in Portugal and France, where she came into contact with cultures that influence and manifest themselves in her work, such as references to Portuguese Baroque, Arabic tiles, Japanese origami and Brazilian Modernism.

Her background in Architecture and Urbanism awoke her gaze to the construction and to the space. Although most of her works come from drawing and painting, her practice also reveals a curiosity about three-dimensionality, a willingness to remove plane surfaces and an integrataton of art and architecture.

More information

Instagram: @marianamagcosta

Hashtag : #arte_mmc

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Robert Fraher

01.04.2019 - 30.04.2019

Lives and works in Menomonie, Wisconsin (USA). He is an associate professor of Graphic Design and Interactive Media at the University of Wisconsin–Stout. His research explores how interactive design and digital media can facilitate individual expression and community involvement.

As an artist and designer, Robert creates compelling experiences for users through communication and interaction. His work explores interactivity through immersive aesthetic contexts and meaningful user interaction. The purpose of this exploration is to allow people to feel the exhilaration that can result from creative participation.

Robert’s main goal while at Despina is making progress on a project that synthesizes visual communication, interaction design, sound design, and music. The project is based on his interest in urban Brazilian culture.

More information
http://www.robertfraher.com/

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Gunga Guerra

01.04.2019 - 30.04.2019

Lives among three identity boundaries: Portuguese, born in Mozambique, of Mozambican father and Portuguese mother, had shelter and grew up in Brazil.

Because of the war, Gunga left his country of origin and his status as an immigrant ended up influencing his research and his work, which carry a strong connection with social and political issues. Its recurrent themes are refugees, violence, social demonstrations and wars. His compositions have narrative characteristics, using current scenarios with unusual and fantastic touches. The issues dealt in his works range from intolerance, radicalism, freedom of expression to identity.

In 2017 he was selected for the 8th Gallery-less Art Salon; in 2018 he had a site specific project selected to occupy the window displays at the Contemporary Movement Gallery. In that same year, the artist won the Dasartes Magazine “Garimpo” Award.

More information
Web site: www.gungaguerra.com
Istagram: @gungaguerra

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Natalia Ocerin Gomis

01.04.2019 - 30.04.2019

Lives and works in Valencia, Spain. She holds a Degree and a Master’s Degree in artistic production from the Faculty of Fine Arts – Polytechnic University of Valencia. Her practice includes painting and installation. With a scenographic character, the artist unifies the symbolism of the image of her paintings with the subsequent installation of them in a chosen environment. According to Natalia, all of theses journeys to a chosen environment and the subsequent photographic record serve to elevate the consciousness of the human being about the social problems that surround all of us. At Despina, the artist intends to develop a work linked to the legacy of activist Marielle Franco, among other issues related to the current socio-political scenario in Brazil. Natalia has participated in several individual and collective exhibitions in Spain and also in residences in the cities of Barcelona (Can Serrat, 2018) and Buenos Aires (La Ira de Dios, 2018).

More information
Web site: www.nataliaocerin.com
Instagram: @natalia_ocerin_gomis

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