Under the theme of the shadows, a bulding and the work of Lurdes Castro, the artist and designer Raúl Albuquerque developed an exhibition at the Funchal slaughterhouse.
How does this exhibition come about?
Raúl Albuquerque: Everything comes with a photograph, which is a pyramid with overlapping shadows. On the other hand, there is a great influence also of all the work of Lurdes de Castro and with these two elements were being worked with the building.
But, does the idea come before, or does it appear after the visit to the infrastructure?
RA: It was at the same time, if you notice the pieces are in dialogue with the building, divide the space, create another shape. They are talking with the structure.
There are several supports also here, photographic, painting, video, drawing and these were also arise with the dynamics of space?
RA: Yes, previously there was an experience, there was somehow the fire in Funchal, which was remarkable and there is a very strong link between the ephemeral of the role and the possibility of art and this happened more or less at the same time.
Are the images and video of this space just the shadows, or are they other areas?
RA: These are other areas that approach concrete, personal poetry.
Are they from Funchal that burned or not?
RA: No, there is a suggestion, from the ephemeral of what is the urban mesh, the combustion that quickly burns if you find the ideal situation and was a bit this, at some point to say this fire does, brand, draws how will define the Landscape, because it will change. But, it's a little rehearsal, the dialogue is permanent with the building and that was important.
And that is what triggered the placement of the works in certain areas?
RA: In all.
Is not it random?
RA: No, everything is thought, it was a month of work inside. All the pieces were made here, they were placed and replaced, redesigned and there was this permanent work, until I got the situation where everything was okay.
Does the duality of which you speak from the beginning also extend the colors?
RA: They are natural colors, yes, they are rusty, I make my own paints, one of the works is with cobalt oxide, there is iron, which reflects the Madeiran landscape, the question of ochres, of stone.
Yes, but I only see one piece with color.
RA: Perhaps because you are accustomed to the rest, because this is the landscape, the denatured, but then there is color, that is, to an exhibition purpose that forces you to see and go to get the parts seized, this dialogue that the person needs have too, not that I had, but it is the visitor who has to do it.
Is it a path that can be done at random?
RA: Yes, random, but you have to enter underneath, see the piece that originated, then we have the video and when you go up the stairs you see several zones of interest that will awaken your attention through the space.
What does this exhibition add to your work as an artist?
RA: Everything, five years as an artist, here living in Madeira. I think and it completely reflects how it's done, the horizontality of the horizon line.
Is it a summary of five years of living with the island?
RA: Yes, completely. Even yesterday I realized that, by the color, by the horizon, by all this.
