"The regard of an animal, what in it without words can trigger us, can interrogate us in such a profound way that it awakens in us degrees of truth that most of the time escape us," with this introductory paragraph the poet José Tolentino Mendonça writes about the motto for the new exhibition of the artist Alexandra Carvalho, patent until March 11th at the House of Culture of Santa Cruz.
The exhibit has a Habitat as a title, why?
Alexandra Carvalho: It was born from the idea of creating a space not physical, but imaginary, that cohabit in the background with my "bicharada”. It is also the relationship that exists with our reality, the habitats that we have around us, also with animals that are real.
Are they beings of an imaginary?
AC: Yes of an imaginary, however, has references of animals that exist in our planet. There are people who told me they look like dinosaurs, or rats. In the background I'm looking for certain characteristics of the animal as people linked to science say, I have several characteristics from a formal point of view and I create several creatures from there.
Many of these beings are curled up, they seem almost to hibernate, they are very round, is there any meaning behind all this dynamics?
AC: Exactly, the curved line is more serene, quieter and more loving. In the background, the straight line I use has this reference, more warm and harmonious, almost more cozy.
And the colors, they are very strong, they are colorful pictures.
AC: Although I use black a lot in my day-to-day life, through clothing and people think I am dark, I am not. I love to use in my works very strong and vivid colors and in all my paintings there is this dominant characteristic, at the chromatic level, strong, vibrant and contrasting colors.
How did arose the contact with the poet José Tolentino Mendonça?
AC: Tolentino is part of my adolescence, we met before he left the island and I have a great esteem for him and the work he has done. So he participated in an exhibition of mine, because I had this idea for some time, this opportunity came through Emanuel Gaspar, who is a mutual friend, made the invitation, he accepted and I was completely satisfied.
How did that work? You send you work that were already done?
AC: I sent images of the finished works, a great set, they were not all finish, he observed and hence the writing of the text that accompanies the exhibition.
You had not held an individual exhibition for some time and decided to dedicate it to her husband and son, why?
AC: It was not like that, I have not really showing for some time, I have participated in group exhibitions and this has come through an invitation from my friend in charge of the House of Culture of Santa Cruz. I thought about the theme, the space and the paintings and then I decided not to sell the works, because I wanted to pay homage to my son and my husband who, in a way, live in my daily habitat. They deserved this exhibition, these works and that is what actually happened and on the day of the inauguration I revealed this, because it was a surprise.
