Face in The Hole, 2019
Tate Exchange: Art and Politics in a Climate of Unrest with Central Saint Martins by Ana Luiza Rodrigues and Joanna Mamede | 19 January 2019
The idea of the project is to dissociate political discourse from the political image and inspire critical thought. The main idea arises after the devastating news about the election in Brazil on 29 October 2018. The far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro has won 55.2% of the vote against 44.8% for Fernando Haddad of the left-wing Workers' Party.
Throughout his political career, he has aired extremist and controversial declarations. However, despite his polemical discourse, a corruption scandal and a polarization of views never witnessed before in the history of the country culminated in his victory in the polls.
“If you want to come here and have sex with a woman, feel free,” he reportedly told journalists in the capital, Brasília. “But we can’t let this place become known as a gay tourism paradise. Brazil can’t be a country of the gay world, of gay tourism. We have families,” he added, according to the Brazilian magazine Exame. - The Guardian Fri 26 Apr 2019
Joanna who is currently completing the MRes Art: Moving Image was introduced by a common Brazilian friend and, she shared the same concern regarding the current political situation in Brazil. The concept of introducing a very popular object in the British seaside within the gallery space and exposed the politician’s words with a suggestion to be embodied by the visitor.
Booklets with the phrases and sources were translated into 5 other languages to include an international audience. The world is witnessing an increase in populism and the endorsement of violence between races, classes, gender, beliefs, and religion. To address this we aim to stimulate reflection regarding the construction of political discourse.
@faceinthehole
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