Cordoaria Nacional Av. da Índia 1300-598 Lisboa, Portugal
C2
12h-20h
https://www.ifema.es/pt/arco/lisboa
Out of Bounds
For ARCO Lisboa 2025, THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE presents "Out of Bounds" a curatorial project that embodies the gallery's mission to promote transcultural dialogues and dissolve artistic and geographic boundaries. Centered on the art of the Global South, Lusophone Africa, and Portugal, it underscores shared histories and contemporary connections while challenging the compartmentalization often imposed on African and African-diasporic art.
The project features Portuguese female artists Ana Malta, Susana Cereja, and Manuela Pimentel, alongside René Tavares and Cássio Markowski, from African and Afro-Brazilian diasporas. Together, they engage with themes of memory, identity, and tradition, crafting dialogues that bridge the personal and universal while resisting rigid geographic or heritage-based definitions.
Ana Malta explores the intimate connection between the body and domestic space, using vibrant colors and textures to reflect on identity. Her works transform personal memories into universal narratives. Susana Cereja revitalizes the traditional Arraiolos stitch, embedding narratives of femininity and ancestry into monumental textile works, blending artisanal techniques with contemporary concerns. Manuela Pimentel reimagines Portuguese tiles as carriers of cultural memory, merging erudite and vernacular traditions to explore ephemerality and permanence.
René Tavares creates figurative works that challenge colonial legacies and celebrate cultural hybridization, incorporating ancestral symbols and collective memory. Cássio Markowski documents Afro-Brazilian history through meticulous exploration of archives, blending personal memories with socio-political themes to offer new perspectives on cultural identity and nearly-forgotten traditions.
"Out of Bounds" highlights the fluidity of cultural exchange and positions its artists within a globalized art discourse, where memory and tradition become tools for transformation and reimagination. The project seeks to break barriers, fostering inclusion and encouraging a deeper understanding of shared artistic and historical legacies.
