Rivane Neuenschwander: Wild Seeds

'Wild Seeds' is Neuenschwander’s first solo exhibition in Portugal and centres her recent film 'I am a Macaw', 2022, which has its global premiere in Serralves. Made in collaboration with filmmaker Mariana Lacerda, this medium-length work is a critique and reflection on the impact of Amazonian deforestation upon its indigenous peoples, at a moment of particular political and social tension. This work is the outcome of a long period of research and a series of actions in São Paulo, where dozens of figures inspired by the flora and fauna of Brazil were paraded through the streets of the city. 

The presentation also includes Neuenschwander’s ‘Trópego Trópico (Dark Tropics)’ series, a body of work created for her solo presentation ‘Trôpego Trópico’ at Stephen Friedman Gallery in March 2022. The composition is rooted in a broader series, initiated during the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues the Brazilian artist’s longstanding exploration of fear. The works depict anthropomorphic creatures entwined in violent embrace. Reptiles, insect-like figures, and female bodies fuse in rhythmic sequences. Their vivid colour and robust forms draw on 17th century Japanese erotic wood cuts as well as Cordel folk literature, popular in Brazil’s Northeast region.

Heir to the historical legacy of the post-war avant-garde movements, from the Neo-concrete to Tropicália, Rivane Neuenschwander is one of the most celebrated names in contemporary Brazilian art. In her work, the artist makes use of a variety of different mediums and medias to create a unique universe exploring narratives on a diverse range of themes, such as language and time, literature and popular culture, psychoanalysis and art, nature and society, politics and philosophy, fear, and desire. One of her most iconic works, 'I Desire Your Desire', 2003, a compilation of “desires” reminiscent of Senhor do Bonfim Wish Bracelets, is on display in the Chapel of Serralves Villa.