Marina Camargo

Recurrent in her artistic practice, the maps reveal a direct relationship with spaces and places. A kind of translation is involved in the mapping when a three- dimensional space is transformed into a two-dimensional representation. In this translation, a series of choices, distortions, and omissions reveal the presence of power mechanisms. With her artwork, Marina alters not only the shape of continents and borders but mainly provokes disturbances in these established narratives.

Marina Camargo studied visual arts and holds a Diploma from Akademie der
Bildenden Künste München (Germany), a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from Instituto de Artes at UFRGS (Porto Alegre – Brazil), and studied Visual Culture at Universitat de Barcelona (Spain)

In 2013 she published the artist book “Como se faz um deserto” (The making of a desert), where she investigates the origins and context of Brazil’s hinterlands Sertões. In 2019, the catalog “Marina Camargo: Der Ort danach | O lugar depois” was published in Germany, gathering diverse analyses of Marina Camargo’s works.

Text excerpt for the group exhibition “ACIREMA”, at Honor Fraser Gallery, in Los Angeles
Cesar Garcia

Marina Camargo’s work is anchored around an ongoing investigation about the representation of various things and phenomena in the world; exposing the tensions that exist between the world we inhabit and the world that is represented to us via images and other types of material culture. Often developing projects through long-term extensive research processes, Camargo most recently has been exploring the representation of various landscapes—as images, as memories, as travel narratives, and as cartographies. Her interests highlight the impossibility of representing complete realities and locales and through her work she draws attention to the elements that are lost, silenced, and forgotten in the space between reality and representation.
The work featured in this exhibition (ACIREMA) encompasses a library of abandoned memories in the form of postcards and photographs purchased in antique shops in Germany. All of the original images depicted the Alps, and the postcards included intimate messages, and registers of their movement across time and place. Painting over the landscapes, Camargo further erases these locales while simultaneously re-rendering them with black ink. The configuration of these thoughts and gestures is assembled as a constellation in its own right; forming another imaginary landscape out of the fragmentation and incompleteness that defines our abilities to represent the world we inhabit.

Cesar Garcia is the Chief Curator and Director of The Mistake Room.

“Radial fissures”
Mario Gioia, 2012

In Planisfério (Planisphere), Marina Camargo’s work orbits between its two main artistic thrusts: the attempt to encompass something of amplitude and the more detailed focus on the specific and the indicatory. At the crossings between landscape and confinement, the intuitive and the conventional, the diluted and the determined, the Porto Alegre-based artist uses drawing as the springboard for her works. Camargo, however, has visual supports in the lines, outline and other atomic elements of such language. The thinking in the drawing is the essential ingredient, something prior to the results exhibited in galleries.
“[…] I make reference to a broader notion of drawing related to the formation of a visual thought. […] I believe that drawing has the power not only to expand as a field, but also to be understood as a malleable, permeable, porous field. […] For me drawing is very close to the field of ideas, of forming ideas and perceiving the world […]”1, she remarks.
In the Zip’Up room, therefore, the artist’s proposition can be seen as an installation space, rooted in the idea of a drawing that pulls away from the plane, formed by the interventions from 2012 Projeção I and Projeção II and Inventário de Águas – Lagos/Lagoas (Inventory of Waters – Lakes/Lagoons) and Inventário de Águas – Rios (Inventory of Waters – Rivers). The first set uses the contours of a world map seen on two walls of the room. As if the projections were unfolding in adhesive vinyl on the floor, such planispheres are marked by latitudes and longitudes, absent in the wall representation. The second set meanwhile makes use of architectural templates – cut out in usually blue-coloured, translucent acrylic – to record the principal river basin and lakes/lagoons in Brazil. Through the four sheets of overlapping acrylic, the compositions make use of the cut out spaces, playing with the colours and transparency and the fragile materiality to create a cartography that tangibly ceases to provide any precise reproduction of that which originally gave rise to their creation. In Projeção I and Projeção II, the same procedure is adopted: the representations of the globe function now as windows (on the walls), now as projections or virtual places of edges and boundaries stripped of their primary function (on the floor).
This re-presentation of systems made by Camargo ends up scrambling the most incisive, regular and surefire notions that surround us. If maps – now, through mobile devices, more omnipresent and everyday than ever – are human constructions also created to facilitate understanding of the surrounding area and with structural frameworks that are currently compromised – due to scientific postulations now seen as dubious and political doctrines in rapid decline, for example – what does the artist actually want to discuss? “Where representation of the world fails and cannot cope with reality, but indicates something of it, even if piecemeal, drawings stem from precise references, but perform no function at all”, she states.
Therefore, uncertainties, incompleteness and flaws revealed in the gaps of a hegemonic argument – “Could there be cartographies that are not at the service of the domination?”2, asks the Colombian curator José Roca in a text for Ensaios de Geopoética, the 8th Mercosur Biennial, held in 2011 and featuring Camargo – are perceived through the construction of a strong artistic process, even when the resulting displacements and decantations may seem, a priori, very precise.
Camargo’s work, therefore, is more connected to the erosive, continually transmuting character of concepts conveyed and defended by, to name but one, Smithson, in this one of the new central avenues of contemporary art. Like the artist’s previous works, Planisfério is founded on a precarious and finite design, bringing an unstable existence to the fore. The dissolution of lines and volumes of Geografias (2011), the open aspect of Open Horizons Project (2010), the references that float and fade from Atlas do Céu Azul (2010) and the weak light of Some Air in Between (2011) are intimately linked to the present exhibit and, bit by bit, add robustness to one of the most interesting recent productions of Brazilian contemporary art.

1. VÁRIOS. Lugares/Representações – Andrei Thomaz, Daniel Escobar, Marina Camargo. São Paulo, Funarte São Paulo, 2011, p. 40
2. ROCA, José (org.). Ensaios de Geopoética – 8ª Bienal do Mercosul. Porto Alegre, Fundação Bienal do Mercosul, 2011, p. 44

Education
2005-2007
– Master’s degree in Visual Arts, emphasis in Visual Poetics, PPGAVI, Post Graduate Program of Visual Arts, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS
2003-2004
– Post-Graduate Degree, Studies on Visual Culture, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
1998-2002
– Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts, Institute of Arts, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Brazil

Solo Exhibitions
2022
– “Cartografías fluidas y otras metamorfosis del espacio”, Fundación Giménez Lorente/Universidad Politénica de València, Valência, Spain
2021
– “Shifting: Displaced”, Interloper: Warehouse, Seattle, USA
– “A matter of deletion and other disappearances”, Das Schaufenster, Seattle, USA
2019
– “Der Ort danach | O lugar depois”, Universität zu Köln, Colônia, Germany
2018
– “Antes, e ainda agora”, Espaço Cultural ESPM, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2015
– “Ensaio sobre uma ordem das coisas”, Goethe-Institut Porto Alegre, Brazil
2013
– “Reflexo Distante”, Galeria Bolsa de Arte, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “O ar entre as coisas”, A Sala (IAD), Pelotas, Brazil
2012
– “Planisfério”, Zip’up, at Zipper Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2011
– “Color Photo – Próximo daqui”, Galeria Bolsa de Arte, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2009
– “Mundos Paralelos”, Galeria Bolsa de Arte, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2008
– “Biblioteca”, CCSP – São Paulo Cultural Center, São Paulo, Brazil
– “Espaçamento”, MAC – Sala Theodoro de Bona, Curitiba, Brazil
– “Palavra Perdida”, Galeria Virgilio, São Paulo, Brazil.
2006
– “Mundo”, Cultural Institute Brazil-Spain, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2003
– “Coletas Caligráficas”, Cultural Institute Brazil-Spain, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2002
– “O Gráfico das Letras”, Goethe-Institut Porto Alegre, Brazil

Group Exhibitions
2022
“37º PANORAMA DA ARTE BRASILEIRA”, MAM-SP, São Paulo, Brazil
“EXIS Experimental Film & Video Festival”, Seul, Koreia
“DAS COISAS POLÍTICAS E AS POLÍTICAS DAS COISAS”, Museu de Arte Moderna Aloísio Magalhães (MAMAM), Recife, Brazil
“MAPPING THE CARTOGRAPHIC”, Drugo More, Rijeka, Croatia
2021
“GUANGZHOU IMAGE TRIENNIAL 2021”, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong, China
“CLAC circuito latino-americano de arte contemporânea”, Casa de Cultura Mário Quintana, Porto Alegre, Brazil
“3. BRITZENALE”, Berlim, Germany
“ANTINOMIA”, exposição virtual / prêmio Marcantônio Vilaça, MAMAM, Recife, Brazil
“EXTREMOS ABSOLUTOS”, Galería Punto, Valencia, Spain
2020
“AKADEMIEGALERIEHOMEOFFICE”, Akademiegalerie, Munique, Germany
“RETINA”, Zeiss-Grossplanetarium, Berlim, Germany
2019
– “FIRE FAÍSCA FUNKE”, Mario Kreuzberg Gallery, Berlim, Germany
– “EU ESTOU AQUI AGORA”, Fundação Vera Chaves Barcelos, Viamão / RS, Brazil
– “TECHNÉ”, Galerie Verein Berliner Künstler, Berlim, Germany
– “Aprendendo com Miguel Bakun: Subtropical”, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil
2018
– “Minor Cosmopolitan”, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany
– “Loop Barcelona/ Discover Award”, Antigua Fábrica Damm, Barcelona, Spain
– “Aterro”, (projeto coletivo com Daniel Galera e Romy Pocztaruk) Pinacoteca Ruben Berta, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “RSXXI Rio Grande do Sul Experimental”, Santander Cultural, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “Torus- sete lados de uma paisagem”, Galeria Mamute, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “La imagen arde / Festival Byte Footage”, Centro Cultural Kirchner, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2015
– “ARTE E CIÊNCIA: Nós entre os extremos”, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil
– “Filmes e Videos de Artistas – Itaú Cultural e Fundação Iberê Camargo”, Fundação Iberê Camargo, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “FINISTERRE”, Kultureland, Oporto, Portugal
– “Proyector 15”, 8th International Videoart Festival, Madrid, Spain
– “IVAHM”, Festival Internacional de Videoarte de Madrid (New Media Festival), Centro Neomudéjar, Madrid, Spain
2014
– “Cidade Gráfica”, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil
– 10 Years of the Acqusition Prize, Sala Tarsila do Amaral / Centro Cultural São Paulo, Brazil
– “O Desenho como Instrumento”, SESC Pompéia, São Paulo, Brazil
– “FUSSBALL WELTWEIT”, Lichthof des Auswärtigen Amts, Berlin, Germany
– “A Inevção do Horizonte”, Galeria Bolsa de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
2013
– “Ao Sul, Paisagem”, Galeria Bolsa de Arte, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “Campo Magnético”, Fundação ECARTA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “O Jogo só Acaba Quando Termina”, Museu Nacional (Brasília) + Palacete das Artes (Salvador) + Anexo Zabala (Montevideo) + MUNTREF -(Buenos Aires) + SESC Quitandinha (Rio de Janeiro)
– “Walking”, Paço das Artes, São Paulo, Brazil
2012
– “Mar de Tubarão”, Galeria Jaqueline Martins , São Paulo, Brazil
– “FILE Hipersonica”, SESI São Paulo, Brazil
– “ACIREMA”, Honor Fraser Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
– “O Triunfo do Contemporâneo”, 20 years of MAC, Santander Cultural, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2011
– “Os 10 Primeiros Anos”, Instituto Tomie Othake, São Paulo, Brazil
– 8. Bienal do Mercosul (8. Mercosur Biennial), MARGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “Território de Caça”, Zipper Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
– Sehnsucht, AABER Artspace, Munich, Germany
– “Moving Image”, ADBK, Munich, Germany
– “Lugares/Representações”, FUNARTE, São Paulo, Brazil
– “Percursos Simulados”, Paço das Artes , São Paulo, Brazil
– “Simulated Pathways”, Skalitzer 140, Berlin, Germany
2010
– “The South Project”, The West Space, Melbourne, Australia
– “Dois Pontos”, Museu Murillo la Greca, Recife, Brazil
– “Incompletudes”, Galeria Virgilio, São Paulo, Brazil
– “Convivência Espacial”, Fundação ECARTA, Porto Alegre + Museu Murillo la Greca, Recife, Brazil
2009
– 7. Bienal do Mercosul (7th Mercosur Biennial), Porto Alegre, Brazil
– “FILE Rio”, SESI, São Paulo, Brazil
– “Lilliput”, Walsh Gallery, South Orange, USA
2008
– “15. Salão da Bahia”, MAM-BA – Museum of Modern Art, Salvador, Brazil
– “FILE”, SESI, São Paulo, Brazil

Awards
2014
– Açorianos Award for Visual Artist (Category: Highlighted Artist in 2013), Secretaria de Cultura de Porto Alegre / Bureau of culture and arts of Porto Alegre City (Brazil)
– Açorianos Award for Visual Artist (Category: Photography), Secretaria de Cultura de Porto Alegre / Bureau of culture and arts of Porto Alegre City (Brazil)
2013
– Fellowship FUNARTE (Bolsa Estímulo à produção em Artes Visuais), support to visual arts production
2012
– Bolsa Iberê Camargo, Iberê Camargo Grant for visual artist: Residency at Gasworks, London (Brazil | UK)
2010
– Prize ‘Brasil Arte Contemporânea’ – Fundação Bienal de São Paulo and Ministério da Cultura (Brazil)
– Prize FUNARTE de Arte Contemporânea – FUNARTE – National Foundation for Arts (Brazil)
– Açorianos Award for Visual Artist (Prêmio Açorianos Incentivo à produção plástica) – Secretaria de Cultura de Porto Alegre / —-Bureau of culture and arts of Porto Alegre City (Brazil)
2008
– São Paulo Cultural Center Acquisition Prize (Prêmio Aquisição do CCSP) – Centro Cultural São Paulo, São Paulo (Brazil)

Residencies
2015
– DAAD fellowship at ADBK, München / Berlin (DAAD re-invitation program), Germany
2012
– Residency at Gasworks, London (Iberê Camargo Foundation Grant), UK
2010-2011
– DAAD Scholarship for Visual Artist – Akademie der Bildenden Künste München, Germany

Publications
– SCHULZE, Peter; CUADRA, Claudia (Org). Marina Camargo: Der Ort danach | O lugar depois. Cologne: Universität zu Köln, 2019. ISBN 978-3-948399-00-9
– CAMARGO, Marina. Antes, e ainda agora / Marina Camargo, Paulo Miyada. – Porto Alegre: M. Camargo, 2018. ISBN 978-85-916613-1-2
– CAMARGO, Marina. Beckton Alps: arquivos e pesquisas 2012-2018 = Beckton Alps: archive & research 2012-2018 / Marina Camargo. Porto Alegre: M. Camargo, 2019. ISBN 978-85-91-6613-2-9
– CAMARGO, Marina. Como se faz um deserto / Marina Camargo, com colaboração de Janaína Amado … [et al]. Porto Alegre: M. Camargo, 2013. ISBN 978-85-916613-0-5

Public Collections
– Casa de Cultura Mário Quintana, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– Centro Cultural São Paulo, Brazil
– Fundação Vera Chaves Barcelos, Viamão, Brazil
– MAC-RS – Museu de Arte Contemporânea do RS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– MAMAM – Museu de Arte Moderna Aloísio Magalhães, Recife, Brazil
– MARGS – Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
– MAR – Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

– “Como se faz um deserto”, Marina Camargo, 2013

Video produced by Matrioska Filmes exclusively for PIPA 2016:

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