The exhibition "Radical Ideas About Love," by Rio de Janeiro-based artist Panmela Castro, will open on August 9 at 5:00 PM at the Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR). With a career spanning over 20 years, the artist presents an exhibition of participatory works centered on the psychological concept of the need for belonging as a vital human impulse. Curated by Daniela Labra with curatorial assistance from Maybel Sulamita, the show features 17 works—10 of which are never-before-seen—including performances, photographs, paintings, sculptures, and videos that explore themes such as affectivity, loneliness, visibility, empowerment, self-care, and memory.
"This solo exhibition by Panmela Castro allows the public to experience the many facets of her interdisciplinary language. Her work navigates different media and supports in a unique way, bringing together aesthetic, affective, and activist concerns in a practice that is fundamentally performative and process-based. The exhibition at MAR features new works alongside versions of existing ones, creating a playful, thought-provoking, and transformative environment," says curator Daniela Labra.
The exhibition will evolve through performances, actions, and audience participation throughout the duration of the show. "All of the works require the 'other' in some way to exist or be completed; it is an exhibition that begins in a state of construction," notes Panmela Castro. The show opens with three blank canvases from the series "Vigília no Museu" (Vigil at the Museum), which will be painted while the museum is closed to the public. During these nighttime vigils at MAR, the artist will meet with individuals to portray them. A collection of 50 photographs documenting the "Vigília" series will also be part of the exhibition.
