Carlos Motta's 'Nós, x inimigx' at Galeria Vermelho Explores Queer History and Resistance
The exhibition 'Nós, x inimigx' by Carlos Motta at Galeria Vermelho in São Paulo delves into the historical origins of homophobia and racism. A notable film, 'Corpo Fechado: a obra do diabo,' draws parallels between the Inquisition's attacks on homosexuality and the transatlantic slave trade, showcasing actor Paulo Pascoal as José Francisco Pereira, who faced trial in 1731 for witchcraft and sodomy. Motta references São Pedro Damião's 1049 text 'Carta 31 – O Livro de Gomorra.' The display features a mural on the exterior titled 'Formas de Liberdade: Triângulo,' alongside whips symbolizing martyrdom and LGBTQ+ culture. The central piece, 'We the enemy' (2017), includes slurs voiced by Greek artist Despina Zacharopoulos, celebrating queer cultural identity.
Key facts
- Carlos Motta's exhibition 'Nós, x inimigx' is on view at Galeria Vermelho in São Paulo.
- The film 'Corpo Fechado: a obra do diabo' connects the Inquisition's persecution of homosexuality with the transatlantic slave trade.
- Actor Paulo Pascoal portrays José Francisco Pereira, enslaved in 18th-century Pernambuco and tried by the Lisbon Inquisition in 1731.
- The exhibition references São Pedro Damião's 1049 text 'Carta 31 – O Livro de Gomorra,' the first Catholic condemnation of homoerotic practices.
- A pink triangle mural on the gallery facade references Nazi persecution and includes a timeline from 1500 to Brazil's 2019 criminalization of homophobia.
- Whips in the exhibition reference both martyrdom and gay fetish culture, recontextualizing Robert Mapplethorpe's 1978 photograph.
- The video 'We the enemy' (2017) was created with collective SPIT! and features Despina Zacharopoulos reciting anti-queer slurs.
- The exhibition creates a 'multiplied mirror' between historical persecution and contemporary queer experience.
Entities
Artists
- Carlos Motta
- Paulo Pascoal
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Despina Zacharopoulos
- José Francisco Pereira
- São Pedro Damião
- John Arthur Peetz
- Carlos Maria Romero
- St. Peter Damian
Institutions
- Galeria Vermelho
- Lisbon Inquisition
- Catholic Church
- Supreme Federal Court (STF)
- SPIT! (Sodomite, Inverts, Perverts Together)
- Vermelho Gallery
- SPIT! (Sodomites, Inverts, Perverts Together)
- Brazilian Supreme Court (STF)
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Pernambuco
- Lisbon
- Portugal
- Benin
- Angola