Space to Dream: Recent Art From South America

Space to Dream: Recent Art Of South America

The contemporary Benefactors enjoyed an exclusive pre-view of Space to Dream: Recent Art from South America, at the Auckland Art Gallery.

DSCF6009 — Co-curators Zara Stanhope and Beatriz Bustos Oyanedel discussing Maria Nepomuceno’s *Grande Boca (Big Mouth) (detail) 2013*

Co-curators Beatriz Bustos Oyanedel from Chile and Dr Zara Stanhope, Principal Curator at Auckland Art Gallery, walked us through the exhibition, along with South American Artists, Alfredo Jaar, Joaquin Sánchez and Máximo Corvalán.

Space to Dream is the first major exhibition in Australasia to introduce, in depth, the art of South America. The exhibition reveals how South American artists see a social significance for their work and how as rebels and revolutionaries, dreamers and poets, they have challenged, embraced, explained or transformed their realities, lives, cultures and spaces from the 1960s to today.

DSCF6026 — Kriselle Baker, Alfredo Jaar and Zara Stanhope in front of Joaquin Sanchez’s *Chaco* *2012*

Space to Dream includes the work of 41 artists and collectives across six countries – Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay. The exhibition includes senior figures internationally recognised for their contribution to art as well as younger figures including Lygia Clark, Juan Fernando Herrán, Alfredo Jaar, Marcos Lopez, Ernesto Neto, Hélio Oiticia, Bernardo Oyarzún, Lotty Rosenfeld, Martín Sastre and many more.

Oyanedel says, “it is a space of creativity, a space of possibility and a space about the cultural history of our region. It is a space to dream and a space to build society. “

DSCF6021 — Joaquin Sanchez discussing his work, translated by Beatriz Oyanedel. Rhana Devenport and Jim Farmer trying on Lygia Clark’s Mascara *Sensorial (sensorial Mask) 1667,2016*

Stanhope says “The exhibition has been curated to be seen as a whole and not chronological, or by Artist, Country or a particular subject matter. Although, there are a number of different themes, which run through the whole exhibition. There is a sense of memories that are being redrawn and resurfacing. There is also a great deal of humour and positivity in the works. There are different themes throughout the exhibition, such as revolution, memories, cultural origins, the blending of different ethnicities, through to the idea of new possibilities and new horizons.”

Space to Dream: Recent Art from South America is on from 7 May – 16 September. With masks and clothes to try on and artwork you can touch and smell, it is also an exhibition that will engage the whole family.

Ben Waymouth wearing Lydia Clark’s Mascara Sensorial mask. In front of demian Schopf, La Nave (Ch’uta Mariachi) 2015

Charlotte Swasbrook in Lygia Clark Mascara Sensorial mask

This exhibition was made possible with the help of the Contemporary Benefactors who contributed to the funding of Space to Dream: Recent art from South America.