I lived on Tucuna Street, in the Capital Federal, on Girassol, on Barão de Capanema, on Wanderley... I had studios on Fradique Coutinho, Belmiro Braga, Natingui, and Paulistânia... I moved to Brooklyn, NY in 2018, to North Salem in 2020, and to Waccabuc in 2025. The 2nd part of my move will be this Friday, September 5, 2025. Displacement is a constant reality for me.
I've become a total nomad, always looking for ways to create my art within my limitations, especially spatial ones. In 2008, I had to shrink down. Tired of transporting things, I started producing work that didn't take up much space and was portable. I participated in an exhibition at SESC Pompéia for São Paulo's 450th anniversary. Each artist received a suitcase and created a work with it. I made my suitcase with Dacio Bicudo.
I started creating mini installations in little boxes, inventing projects to get rid of things that were dear to me without too much pain, such as the "habitation" project, the "guardians" project, and the "inventory of useless things" project. The SUITCASE became my great companion.
When Estela and I started developing artist book projects together in 2013, we had a conversation with Eduardo Brandão, who was my professor at FAAP and was hosting the Tijuana artist books (if I remember correctly). We had an amazing conversation! He pointed out the subversive nature of artist books: their small size makes them easily transportable, they fit in a suitcase and cross borders, disseminating their contents and escaping customs controls and ideological censorship (subliminal contents can evade authoritarian regimes' censorship).
The act of packing and unpacking the suitcase became a kind of karma, and thinking of the suitcase as a space for art diffusion became an idea that stuck with me. Edu's words resonated with my nomadic nature: French father, Mexican mother, born in Brazil, daughter living in NY, son living in Australia, brother in Switzerland married to a Dutch woman, sister in Portugal married to a Portuguese man...
In 2023, Estela gathered us all, proposing we form a group and develop an online project with artist books. Something different from Obra e Dobra, which was already happening. We started receiving online bookbinding lessons from Estela and discussing possible group formats that went beyond the study group we had created at ABER and the Obra e Dobra course. Something we could do online (the SUITCASE is a COVID creation), since Chica lives in Paris, I live in NY, and Estela and Lili are in São Paulo. We wanted something involving international exhibitions, given our contacts beyond Brazilian borders.
We had long, rich conversations. Estela suggested an online residency, and remembering Edu Brandão's words, we started outlining the format without a defined concept. We decided to create an annual online residency for artist books with weekly meetings and a final double exhibition: one at the destination of the suitcase that year and another in São Paulo.
We pondered the concept for a while, discussing the codex, and went around in circles without finding something truly satisfying. We knew the exhibitions had to fit in a suitcase that would be transported. And we knew the suitcase would be part of our routine, given we inhabit 3 continents and want to spread our wings.
Then I had an insight: what we were looking for was right in front of us: the SUITCASE! The SUITCASE is us. I talked a lot with Sandy, my husband, about it, and he's great at giving ideas. I told him about the SUITCASE, and he suggested revisiting Lewis Carroll and his concept of the suitcase in Alice in Wonderland. I didn't know it. The suitcase (porte-manteau) is made of two sides, each with its contents and meanings. When closed, they come together, resulting in a new meaning, exactly the strategy Carroll uses in Alice to destabilize the reader and open their understanding to deeper levels of idea association (I thought of a quantum leap in meanings).
I loved the suggestion. I took it to the group. We all connected with the proposal, and Lili found a wonderful way to use the letters in the word MALA (suitcase in Portuguese) to complete our group's name. Structure, format, and concept were all set. The MALA Morada Andarilha de Livros de Artista (Wandering Home of Artist’s Books) was born.
The inspirations we had come from the rich conversations we had, with valuable contributions from all of us. There are many more stories to tell... I think it would be wonderful if each of us, in a moment of tranquility and desire, wanted to share a bit of our story.
20240323 Water displacement 1, video single channel, 00:13".
20240323 Water displacement 1, video single channel, 00:19".
20240323 Another kind of displacement 2, video single channel, 00:56".
20240323 Another kind of displacement 1, video single channel, 00:27".
Voice, 2023, audio, 0:24'.
Can't sleep, 2023, audio, 1:13'.
This is the end of the night, 2021, single channel video, 0:09'.
Dia de los muertos, 2021, single channel video in loop, 0:39'.
Life is uncertain, 2021, single channel video, 0:07'.
Tribute to Mondrian, 2021, Video, 1:03'.
All life matters, Digital print on a ceramic tile, 8 x 8 in, 2021.
Huevos mexicanos, Digital print on a ceramic tile, 8 x 8 in, 2021.
Sandy in his garden (20210504 1h35PM / Lat 41° 21' 25.248" N / Long 73° 36' 7.878" W), 2021, single channel video, 0:07'.
20210408 7h43AM Lat 41° 21' 25.92" N/ Long 73° 36' 6.84" W Time for coffee, Video, 0'41", 2021.
December 26th, Video, 0'12", 2020.
I want my art to produce happiness and joy, to make me feel more human.
I need to outburst ...!
Our world, as it is ... or as it was ... my head is boiling!
Traditionally, many governments have directed significant resources to the army. Economic growth has often prevailed in decisions involving environmental issues. People fight for power and money (I want it too!). The "I" is the subject of the sentence. The “other” is just a complement; and "his" or “her” problems are "his" or “her” problems (thank God)!
It seems that Corona Virus entered our lives so recently and put everything inside out! Or were things upside down before?
The forced withdrawal has made me think a lot ...! This quarantine is not easy ...
Since the crisis began, some governments continue to be more concerned with the economy, and minimize the risks of the disease. However, the pandemic is not linked to the Stock Market. Much less a well-trained and well-armed army can contain the Corona Virus. If it spread around the world, other disgusting creatures should also be out there soon (not that I want to!). At least until we change the way we deal with the planet. Preserving the environment with education, health and housing is what helps to maintain balance and our survival! To see these priorities we need more humanity. A humanity more aware that what we have now. Intelligence is not enough! We need to respect, feel compassion and empathy for our similar, and also for our different.
Individualism has grown so much ...! We seem to be blind. We are not realizing that we belong to something bigger, to GAIA, our dwelling, our home. She is a living being ... We are cells of this body! Rivers and seas are her blood. If any of us are sick, the whole planet is sick. When we think of the Apocalypse, we mean the end of the world. It makes more sense to consider that we are the ones that are threatened with extinction. Nature is powerful! We are mistreating the body that shelters us, deforesting forests, causing climate change that brings global warming, fires, polluting the air, rivers and seas, there is so much war and misery ... GAIA is sick with our selfishness, thirst for power and greed . But she is strong! After a while and a few sneezes, she puts us out! The crisis passes, she recovers, regenerates, and that's it.
And us? It's over...
Technology brings great things, no doubt. Virtuality is pretty cool! How great when we communicate on social media when we are far away and unable to enjoy the presence of people we love. But there are limitations: we cannot satisfy our hunger with the image of an appetizing hamburger on the computer screen. Social media are useful tools, but they are not a substitute for face-to-face and qualitative interaction. We are in quarantine, without proximity, without touch, without hug! The value of direct contact has never been more evident to me!
I read a while ago, a theory about the reasons that led prehistoric man to make paintings in the depths of caves. I don't know about the validity, since no writing could prove it. I also don't know the source. But the theory is cool, and so I share: Prehistoric men believed that the Earth was the MOTHER of all living beings. The hidden spaces inside the caves would be like her belly. The animals they hunted and constituted their food, were gestated there. In order to accelerate the process and birth of these creatures, they tried to identify them in the recesses and protrusions of the walls, detaching and painting them, thus bringing them to a concrete plane.
I found all of this very inspiring and felt a great admiration and respect for Mother Earth!
I meditate a lot, concentrate my energies, and try to visualize the healing of our dear planet. After all, isn't thought the principle of action?
I've been questioning myself, looking for ways to act positively in the face of the difficult moment we are facing. Of course, disciplining thinking in search of a positive action principle is a good start. But I really want to go further, find a way to do my part, to contribute effectively, or better, affectively, to the health of my home, which is GAIA, and everything that is part of it. I'm still not sure how ...
I just know that when the situation caused by the Corona Virus improves and the confinement is no longer necessary, I will prioritize face-to-face meetings with the people who are important to me.
While in isolation, I have been struggling to learn how to use available electronic resources. Softwares like Microsoft Team, Zoom and Google Hangout allow virtual meetings with friends, and have become a very cool option! I am being beaten ... I am slow in these things. But soon I will know how to navigate.
That's it.
And, “let it go” !!!!!
Thank you for your patience with the outburst!
Together with it, I send everyone my best energies and vibrations!
Stay safe!