Histories of Material Life
FERNANDO BRYCE L’ Humanité, 2009-2010. Foto. Joaquín Cortés. Cortesía: Centro de Artes Visuales Fundación Helga de Alvear.
We could begin by saying that, with a collection comprising more than 2,000 works, among which are represented the essential names in recent contemporary art, often with crucial pieces, it is not hard to make a good selection and to set up a worthwhile exhibition. But that would not be fair.
The second proposal carried out at the Fundación Helga de Alvear has been entrusted to the judgment of the Portuguese curator Delfim Sardo, whose interpretation of the collection suggests, briefly, “a journey through the map of the many relationship forms between bodies, spaces, and powers, which make up the fictions we call reality”.
The guiding thread to which Sardo alludes in order to establish the structure of the show is life and art from the second part of last century, which continues to beat in many works today. He does not aim to offer a theoretical discourse, but to create a journey focusing essentially on the works at his disposal. A central chapter is that devoted to Gordon Matta-Clark, made more exciting thanks to the inclusion of a couple of early surrealist drawings, which are connected with the heritage of his progenitor, entitled Energy Tree, as well as photographic collages of the intervention carried out in 1974, Partition, the impressive series of cut papers Cut Drawing (1975-1976), the small photo-sketches with cuttings from Propuesta de corte de tejado para Düsseldorf (1977), and two pieces from Office Baroque (1977).
Sardo has articulated four large themes regarding the material dimension of relationships; on the one hand, what he calls “production relationships”, which encompass political-social concerns; in this chapter it is worth noting the room devoted to Fernando Bryce, the magnificent piece 1 Second in the Story Crime (2006) by João Louro, and the collages by Hans-Peter Feldman. It also includes one of the excellent works in Mark Lombardi’s limited production, as well as the pieces representing Jeff Wall, no less than The Giant (1992) and the preparatory series for his well-known wind gust (1993).
A second block centres on what the curator describes as “the presence of the material dimension of relationships with daily objects”, where, for example, Oursler is not represented by his habitual forms, but by minimal papers, and where we find the generous installation by the always ironic Elmgreen & Dragset.
The next chapter focuses on the material world as a configuration of spatial and physical relationships –which conceptually begins with the impressive room devoted to Matta-Clark, mentioned above– and is home to a work which devours the space in every sense of the word, with the piece by José Pedro Croft; later on, another of the many strong moments here can be found with Donde alcanzo a ver (1991-2000), by Pep Agut; and the fascinating image of the overfull bookshelf by Stan Douglas.
What could be seen as an epilogue is centred on the subjective plane of human relationships, and makes it possible to examine some of the greatest concerns of recent art, that where body and identity constitute an axis of reflection. Jürgen Klauke, cross-dressed as Ziggy Stardust (1974), along with a polyptych by Almeida, where the Portuguese artist introduces, for the first time in her work, a second character, as well as intense pieces by Philip-Lorca Divorcia and more “delicate” works by Francis Alÿs and Mike Kelley.
It is interesting to observe the use of the large installation by the Wilson sisters, which peppers –like a fragile nexus based on memory and its construction– the itinerary marked by Sardo.
In any case, those who visit Cáceres –even those who are unaware of the directions taken by art, as presented by the curator, or who are not familiar with categories which are sometimes complex, as in a fair few cases the works are open to a variety of questions, and could have easily been displayed in a different way– will be sure to greatly enjoy this exhibition.
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