Alfredo Jaar's 'Lamento das Imagens' Retrospective at Sesc Pompeia Examines Image Politics
The retrospective exhibition 'Lamento das Imagens' by Chilean artist Alfredo Jaar is currently on display at Sesc Pompeia in São Paulo, running until December 5. This showcase delves into the politics surrounding imagery, prominently featuring Jaar's 1989 piece 'Geography = War,' which tackles global disparities through the lens of toxic waste disposal in Koko, Nigeria. Supported by the 1989 'Magiciens de la Terre' exhibition at the Centre Pompidou, Jaar refrains from sensationalizing hardship. His work in Nigeria projects images onto barrels, creating an ethical dialogue with the subjects portrayed. Curator Moacir dos Anjos highlights Jaar's fusion of aesthetics and ethics. The exhibition also displays text-based art, a postcard related to the transatlantic slave trade, and a unique neon installation. Jaar claims, "images are not innocent."
Key facts
- Alfredo Jaar's retrospective 'Lamento das Imagens' runs until December 5 at Sesc Pompeia in São Paulo.
- The exhibition features an expanded version of his 1989 work 'Geography = War,' addressing inequality between developed and developing worlds.
- Jaar's early Nigeria project was funded by the 1989 'Magiciens de la Terre' exhibition at the Centre Pompidou, curated by Jean-Hubert Martin.
- Jaar states his interest is 'the politics of images,' not photography, aiming to create ethical correspondence with subjects.
- The show includes a poster with a quote from Ansel Adams and a postcard image referencing the transatlantic slave trade.
- Jaar created a new neon text work for the exhibition quoting Oswald de Andrade's 'Manifesto Antropófago.'
- Posters with an Antonio Gramsci quote are displayed at the Bienal de São Paulo in Brazilian flag colors.
- Curator Moacir dos Anjos highlights Jaar's cohesive fusion of aesthetic and ethical concerns.
Entities
Artists
- Alfredo Jaar
- Cildo Meireles
- Ansel Adams
- Oswald de Andrade
- Antonio Gramsci
- Moacir dos Anjos
- Jean-Hubert Martin
Institutions
- Sesc Pompeia
- Magiciens de la Terre
- Centre Pompidou
- Revista de Antropofagia
- Bienal de São Paulo
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Koko
- Nigeria
- Africa
- Italy
- Luanda
- Angola