This Friday, April 21 and until the 30th of June, the work of Angel Orensanz will be on view at the Water Museum of Lisbon, Portugal. It could well be said that the museum itself will be turned into a piece of art: an installation, a reconstruction, or as the artist calls it “a total intervention”. He is transforming the central massive pool of water into a water sculpture by affecting it with video projections of films from the collection of Film and Video Library of MoMa New York, (edited by Donna Cameron), and with large sculpture pieces in PVC and neon constructed in Lisbon, specifically for this show.
Encircling this central installation is a parade of 18 years of his drawings and paintings that fill the arched space giving guard to the central water piece. They stand like looking down on a volcano de reflections providing context to it. Finally, the walls of this 18th century architectural world landmark support 12 huge “digital tapestries” from Orensanz’s “urning Universe” that were exhibited first in Venice during the Biennale of 2003 at palazzo Malipiero and other locations along the Gran Canal. A new series of fabric sculptures in vibrant colors, made in Paris, connects the old cascade with the center of the space.
All these structures and elements: sculpture, video, drawings and painting move in circles embracing and reflecting over each other in a shimmering superimposition of reflections and counter reflections. Orensanz commented on his way from New York to Portugal: “I have designed this exhibition as a metaphor for a world inverted in itself that reverberates from its unsettled depths all the way up. A world closed, although vibrant in itself”.
Professor Margarida Ruas, director of the Water Museum, is the curator of the show that is featured as the primary exhibition of the Museum for 2006. The show is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with 150 page designed by Pedro Inacio. The exhibition is set up by the curatorial team and staff of the Water Museum.
A comprehensive broadcast of the installation, opening and development of the show will be available as an on going TV show at: www.orensanz.TV after April 25, and at www.angelorensanz.com.
Museu da Agua, Rua do Alviela, 12; 1170-012
Lisboa, Portugal.
Margarida Ruas, Directora
Tel. 35-1-21.810 02 60; fax 35-1-21810 0202
www.museudaagua.epal.pt
Recent Comments