Associação Cultural Videobrasil

A work of art’s ability to change our perceptions of the world and the impact this change has on individuals or groups were the main topics of debate in the Conversation with the Audience, held at Sesc São Carlos to mark the opening of the On Tour show of the 18^th Contemporary Art Festival Sesc_Videobrasil. The meeting, featuring the Festival’s assistant curator, Diego Matos, and the PhD in architecture and urbanism from USP São Carlos, David Sperling, took place on Tuesday at 7pm, kicking off the show comprising the ten winning works from the latest Festival edition. The exhibit will continue until July 20. Approximately 150 people were in attendance, including Festival Grand Prize winner Luiz de Abreu.

Diego Matos and David Sperling discussed the function of art as a catalyst of new views of the individual and the occupation of urban space. They also spoke on the importance of having artworks circulate outside traditional venues as a means to promote new views and forms of perception. Both highlighted the questioning of hegemonic views featured in many of the pieces, citing the performance O Samba do Crioulo Doido, by Luiz de Abreu, which won the Grand Jury Prize in the latest Festival. In the piece, de Abreu uses his own body to call stereotypes and historical views of blackness and gender into question.

Apart from de Abreu’s piece, works by nine other artists from seven countries will be on display at Sesc’s São Carlos unit, until July 20. After that date, the Festival On Tour project moves on to Sesc Campinas, where it will feature from July 29 to October 05. For two decades now, Videobrasil has held the Festival On Tour show as a means of increasing access and promoting different takes and debate on its curating proposals.

To find out more about the 18^th Festival On Tour program in São Carlos, click here.