In the work Untitled (1999), a glass sheet on the ground supports objects that make reference to duality: transparency and opacity, lightness and weight, subtlety and brutality. Whether broken or unimpaired, drinking glasses and other glass containers find articulation with bits of marine sponge and pieces made of iron and lead. One of them is … Continued
The installation Lézart V was first exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (EUA), in 1989, and at the Whitechapel Gallery (England) in the following year. A short story written by the artist himself serves as a point of departure for the work: in it, he finds himself lying on a hammock, resting in … Continued
Laboratório Nociferatu (1999-2012) is structured according to an important principle in the work of Tunga: the double. In the installation, glass and mirror reflect and, by doing so, duplicate bells, drinking glasses, and other objects made of glass disposed on the surface. As one walks around the work, the variation of light incidence and the … Continued
The objects composing this work are traces of the performance that took place for the inauguration of Galeria Psicoativa Tunga in 2012. At first sight, the seven nylon nets recall traps, as they keep old leather suitcases, raincoats, and felt hats in suspension. Spread around a side stairwell, the suspended nets connect two other pieces … Continued
Cooking Crystals Expanded (2009) is the unfolding of the work presented by Tunga for the 3rd Moscow International Biennale of Contemporary Art in 2009. With one hoop in the top and another one in the bottom, vertical iron structures support rods, springs, and hooks that maintain different elements in flotation, such as crystals, amber stones, … Continued
The film-installation Ão (1981) was first exhibited in the 16th São Paulo Bienal. In it, Tunga projects the moving image of a curve inside the Dois Irmãos tunnel (currently named Zuzu Angel), in Rio de Janeiro, on a large scale. Edited in loop, the image leads us to believe we are awkwardly walking in circles … Continued
The work À la Lumière des Deux Mondes (2005) was first exhibited at Musée du Louvre (France), on the occasion of a major exhibition dedicated to the representation of Brazil in the 17th century by the Dutch painter Frans Post (1612-1680). A remarkable aspect in the work of Post is the expressive light, attributed as … Continued
A Bela e a Fera (2001) was conceived for an exhibition at the gardens of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, in Venice (Italy), where the work was tied to chains and attached to trees, so as to elevate the sculpture as they would grow. At Instituto Inhotim, it is exposed inside the gallery. The interest in … Continued
In CC5/Hendrix-War (1973), the title pays homage to Jimmy Hendrix (1942-1970) and to War Heroes (1972) – third album released since his death. With the interference of some mancoquilagens, the album cover is projected on the walls and the ceiling of the room, while the soundtrack reproduces the nine songs of the record. The room … Continued
In this space, the audience is invited to enter the pool of cold water that occupies nearly the entire room, placed amid the interference of green and blue lights. In CC4/Nocagions (1973), wall projections reveal the origin of the title of the work: a double reference to John Cage (1912-1992), pioneer of aleatoric music, and … Continued