Teresina, Brazil, 1963.
Lives and works in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In recent years, David Cury has been developing installations and interventions of marked ambivalence, articulating issues inherent to art and issues directly associated with life today.
Curry’s works can vary in materiality, structure, and scale, even during the delivery process or (re)assembly. This concept defined the following projects: “Para a inclusão social do Crime” (Sala Lygia Clark/Funarte, Rio de Janeiro, 2003), “Há vagas de coveiro para trabalhadores sem-terra” (Carreau du Temple, Paris, 2005), “Paradeiro” (Estação Barão de Mauá-Leopoldina, Rio de Janeiro, 2006), and “Hydrahera” (Morro da Conceição, Rio de Janeiro, 2008).
The main theme of Cury’s solo show “Antônio Conselheiro não seguiu o conselho” was land conflict within Brazil (Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro, August–October 2009). The show consisted of two installations and one intervention (on a 8m x 30m wall) that included seminal references to contemporary art and important events within Brazilian social history. The artistic representation of emblematic episodes of local agrarian questions (Canudos, Eldorado dos Carajás, Landless Workers’ Movement) was both difficult and unstable, as well as unavoidable and compelling.
In 2013, Cury showed the work “Rasa é a Cova dos Vivos” as part of the exhibition “Rotas, Desvios e Outros Ciclos” at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ceará. The exhibition was curated by Bitú Cassundé (curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ceará) and Marisa Mokarzel (director of Casa das Onze Janelas, in Belém).
In 2010, Cury participated in the 29th São Paulo Biennial with the installation “Antônio Conselheiro não seguiu o conselho”. That same year, he also showed work in the exhibition Collection Gilberto Chateaubriand/Acquisitions 2007-2010 at the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro.
In 2009, Cury had the solo show “Antônio Conselheiro não seguiu o conselho” (two installations and one intervention) at Espaço Monumental at the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro.
In 2008, Cury showed the intervention “Hydrahera no Morro da Conceição” in Rio de Janeiro, and took part in the exhibition “Provas de artistas: impressões” at Gallery Oeste, in São Paulo.
In 2007, Cury presented the solo show “O fogo é sombra” at Gallery Oeste in São Paulo, and took part in the group intervention “Associados” with Viropticals in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2006, the artist performed the intervention “Paradeiro” at the train station Barão de Mauá-Leopoldina, in Rio de Janeiro, and participated in the following exhibitions: “10+1: os anos recentes da arte brasileira” (Institute Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo), “Grandes formatos” (Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro), and “É hoje na arte brasileira contemporânea/Collection Gilberto Chateaubriand” (Santander Cultural, Porto Alegre) with the installation “Todos os homens dormiram com suas mães. Algumas mulheres, com seus pais”.
In 2005, Cury performed the intervention “Há vagas de coveiro para trabalhadores sem-terra” at Carreau du Temple, Paris, and took part in the exhibition ‘EAV 30 Anos’ with the installation “Antônio Conselheiro não seguiu o conselho” at Funarte/Palácio Gustavo Capanema, Rio de Janeiro. He took part in the exhibitions “Arte brasileira hoje/Collection Gilberto Chateaubriand” and “Chroma” at the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro. He participated in the event ‘Pyrata’ with the performance “Time-out” at the passenger station for the ferries between Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, at Praça XV. He showed the same performance at the School of the Visual Arts of Parque Lage, also in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2004, in Rio de Janeiro, the artist had the solo exhibition “Os dias em claro” at Gallery Anita Schwartz, and the installations “Todos os homens dormiram com suas mães. Algumas mulheres, com seus pais” at Paço Imperial and “Homens mentem porque mulheres confessam” at the Botanical Gardens.
Between 2003 and 2004, he showed the intervention “Para a inclusão social do Crime” at Gallery Lygia Clark/Palácio Gustavo Capanema in Rio de Janeiro, and showed the installation “As mulheres existem para que os homens se meçam” at the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia, in Salvador.
In 2001, Cury took part in the exhibition “Nova Orlândia” in Rio de Janeiro with the intervention “As meninas não medem esforços”, and had the solo painting exhibition “O acaso joga fechado” at Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro.
In 2000, Cury had the individual painting exhibition “Impurezas são incontroláveis” at Cultural Centre São Paulo, and showed the intervention “Death by meter/Não há nenhum lugar aqui” at Alpendre, Fortaleza.
Cury has participated in the following selected shows: “Tudo é Brasil” at Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro and Institute Itaú Cultural, São Paulo (2004-2005); “Arquivo geral” at the Botanical Gardens, Rio de Janeiro (2004); “Investigações 1 e Repertórios alternativos” at Institute Itaú Cultural, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, and São Paulo (1999-2000); “Disposição, na Fundição Progresso”, Rio de Janeiro (1999); “Art contemporaine du Brèsil” at Museum Sürsock, Beirut (1997); and “The Brazilian Northeast Contemporary Art” at Liberty St. Gallery, New York (1996).
In 1994, Cury was selected to showcase at The Tamarind Institute (USA) for the programme “The Art of the Americas” and had the painting exhibition “Mental Eyes” at The Cafe Gallery in Albuquerque. In 1993, he participated in “Sechs aus Rio” at Maerz Gallery in Linz, Austria, and in the XIII National Fine Arts Salon of the National Art Foundation at Palácio Gustavo Capanema in Rio de Janeiro.
Solo Exhibitions
2009
-“Antônio Conselheiro não seguiu o conselho” (installation consisting of the homonymous intervention “Eis o tapete vermelho que estendeu o Eldorado aos carajás” and of the installation “Há vagas de coveiro para trabalhadores sem-terra”), Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2007
-“O fogo é sombra” (painting/installation), Gallery Oeste, São Paulo, Brazil.
Group Exhibitions
2010
-29th São Paulo Biennial, with the installation “Antônio Conselheiro não seguiu o conselho”, São Paulo, Brazil.
-Collection Gilberto Chateaubriand Acquisitions 2007-2010, Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2008
-“Morro da Conceição”, with the intervention “Hidrahera”, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
-“Provas de artistas: impressões”, Oeste Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2007
-“Associados”, with the intervention ‘Viropticals’, 53 Jornalista Orlando Dantas Street, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Programmes and Awards
-Programme “Projéteis da Arte Contemporânea/Funarte” (showed the installation “Para a inclusão social do crime”), Gallery Lygia Clark/Funarte, Palácio Gustavo Capanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
-Acquisition Award of the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia (for the installation “As mulheres existem para que os homens se meçam”), Solar do Unhão, Salvador, Brazil.
-Programme “Novos Rumos” (mapping contemporary Brazilian art producution), Institute Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil.
-Programme “Uniarte/ Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro” (award and scholarship), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
-Programme “The Art of the Americas/The Tamarind Institute” (award for the individual exhibition “Mental Eyes”), The Cafe Gallery, Albuquerque, USA.
