This installation was made for the PortugArt contest, to be part of a group exhibition that represented emerging Portuguese contemporary artists. It was open to the public between the 1st and 15th of April, 2016 at the D Contemporary Gallery, in Mayfair, London.
The installation entitled «The Fifth Empire» combines sculpture with musical composition and a video projection. The sculptural piece is shaped by five acrylic sheets ranging in color, each laser cut in the shape of a human silhouette. The sound track comprises ambient rhythm and spoken word. The video is a combination of various landscapes representative of Portuguese nature and was projected onto the sculptural piece.
“The Fifth Empire (Portuguese: Quinto Império) is a concept of a global Portuguese empire with spiritual and temporal power, based on an interpretation of Daniel II and the Book of Revelation, whose origins lay with António Vieira. The concept became well known after the publication of the book Mensagem, by Fernando Pessoa.”
This installation was made for the contest PortugArt to be part of a group exhibition that represented emerThis installation was made for the contest PortugArt to be part of a group exhibition that represented emerging Portuguese contemporary artists. It was open to the public between the 1st and 15th of April, 2016 at the D Contemporary Gallery, in Mayfair, London.
Video projection, acrylic installation, sound, voice (poetry).
D Contemporary, Mayfair, London, March, 2016.
Review:
A final and unexpected highlight is Joana Palma‘s The Fifth Empire video installation in the basement. The homage to Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa engages all of the senses, combining constant on-screen movement with mirrored men, coloured geometric shapes and a pumping trip-hop soundtrack reminiscent of Massive Attack’s Mezzanine. Normally, I can take or leave video art. However, few are executed quite this well.
– WHATsON London
The Fifth Empire
Pity him who lives at home
Happy with his life,
Without a dream, a flexing of wings,
To make him relinquish
Even the warmest ember of his hearth!
Pity him who is happy!
He lives because life lasts.
Nothing within him whispers
More than the primeval law:
That life leads to the grave.
Eras upon eras vanish
In the course of time, made of eras.
To be discontent is to be a man.
Let nature’s forces be tamed
By the vision within the soul!
And so, past the four
Ages of the being that dreamed,
The world will be the stage
Of the bright day, that in the dark
Of the empty night began.
Greece, Rome, Christianity,
Europe the four go
To where all age goes.
Who wants to live the truth
For which Don Sebastian died?
In: ‘The Message’
By: Fernando Pessoa
Translation: João Manuel Mimosa
Voice: Nuno J. Loureiro
And fado will be just dancing.
Here,
Now,
Dancing goes on.
Dancing will express Portugal.
Being sovereign, of itself ruler.
Returning to Earth only to care for it.
In the present life is already celebrated.
Longing will have a happy end.
The future will be of the imagination.
Empire of the blessed humor!
Free!
Love!
Beyond thought,
Further.
Tears in space to the other side.
Portuguese is time, the mission to be.
Divine, human, thou art with power.
Excerpts from the poem:
“Good Omens”
By: Helena FM
Voice: Cristina Afonso
Intuition dreams,
God wanted,
But from you, the work is born!
By: Joana Palma
Voice: Cristina Afonso
O Quinto Império
Triste de quem vive em casa,
Contente com o seu lar,
Sem que um sonho, no erguer de asa,
Faça até mais rubra a brasa
Da lareira a abandonar!
Triste de quem é feliz!
Vive porque a vida dura.
Nada na alma lhe diz
Mais que a lição da raiz —
Ter por vida a sepultura.
Eras sobre eras se somem
No tempo que em eras vem.
Ser descontente é ser homem.
Que as forças cegas se domem
Pela visão que a alma tem!
E assim, passados os quatro
Tempos do ser que sonhou,
A terra será teatro
Do dia claro, que no atro
Da erma noite começou.
Grécia, Roma, Cristandade,
Europa — os quatro se vão
Para onde vai toda idade.
Quem vem viver a verdade
Que morreu D. Sebastião?
Em: “A Mensagem”
Por: Fernando Pessoa
Voz: Nuno J. Loureiro
E o fado irá ser só dança.
Aqui,
Agora,
A dançar avança.
Dançando se vai expressar Portugal.
Ser soberano, de si governante.
Voltando á Terra só para a cuidar.
No presente a vida já é celebrada.
A saudade, irá ter um feliz fim.
O futuro vai ser da imaginação.
Império do bendito humor!
Livre!
Amor!
Mais além pensamento,
Mais além.
Rasgões no espaço para o outro lado.
Português he hora, a missão he ser.
Divino, humano, tu és com poder.
Excertos do poema: “Bons Presságios”
Por: Helena FM
Voz: Cristina Afonso
A intuição sonha,
Deus quis,
Mas de ti, a obra nasce!
Por: Joana Palma
Voz: Cristina Afonso
Links:
https://dcontemporary.com/portfolio_page/portugart/
https://www.facebook.com/portugart.org/
Press:
UK
http://whatson.london/review/portugart-exhibition-at-the-d-group-mayfair/
https://beartistbeart.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/portugart-best-of-modern-portuguese-art-in-the-heart-of-london/
https://www.artweek.com/art-news/portuguese-curator-mara-alves-takes-london-contemporary-arts-scene-storm#
PT
https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/cultura/563305/portugart-mostra-obras-de-vinte-artistas-portugueses-em-londres
https://bomdia.lu/portugart-mostra-obras-de-vinte-artistas-portugueses-em-londres/