Work of art seeks work of art for Staring Contest — an open call for a Museu occupation.

As we learned when we were kids, in a staring contest, one cannot smile, blink or even look away. All those things are subjected to the ultimate penalty: defeat. When two bodies face each other in a Staring Contest, the tension between them is too evident. There is no place for compromise.

In this curatorial project, we ask the artistic community (and beyond) to suggest one or more objects that can be partnered up with the exhibited work.

In this third moment, from November 18^th to January 28^th, a partner was sought for Sara Bichão’s As facas não mordem (2, batom) (2020).

After the deliberation of the jury, the third Staring Contest features a work by the artist Laurindo Marta, in response to the already announced work by Sara Bichão. The relationship between Órgão and As facas não mordem (2, batom) seemed to the jury to be the most appropriate, taking into account the curatorial assumption, despite the quality of the various proposals submitted.

Let’s play a Staring Contest. One body facing another. They must stare at each other. Whoever smiles, looks away or blinks loses. To be still, but not motionless: the play is on as it games on lethargy. A contribution to a symmetry of intentions, broken by the asymmetry on the surface.

Daniel Madeira

Sara Bichão (Lisbon, 1986). BA (2011) and MA (2008) in Plastic Arts, Faculdade de Belas Artes, Universidade de Lisboa. She has been selected for several artistic residencies, such as: Residency Unlimited (2022, New York); Finisterrae (2022, Ouessant); Cité Internationale des Arts, (2019, Paris); Centro ADM (2016, Mexico City). She has received grants from the Institut français du Portugal (2019, 2022), the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (2014) and the Luso-American Foundation (2022). Solo shows (selection): Qual é a coisa, Qual é ela, Galeria Filomena Soares (2020); Encontra-me, mato-te, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (2018); Coastal, Barbara Davis Gallery (2017). Group exhibitions (selection): Twin Islands, CAC Passerelle/Carpintarias de S. Lázaro (2022); Traverser La Nuit, MAAT (2022); Clorophilia, Porta 33 (2021); Storytelling, MAC Lyon (2019). Her work is represented in public collections such as Fondation Antoine de Galbert; CACE (Colecção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado); FLAD (Luso-American Foundation); Fundação PLMJ; EDP Foundation – MAAT; Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation; Fundação Carmona e Costa; MidFirst Bank.

https://sarabichao.com/

Laurindo Marta

With an academic degree in Fine Arts – Sculpture by the Escola Superior de Artes e Design at Caldas da Rainha since 2009, the practice that has occupied him ever since,  exhibiting his work individually as well as collectively.

Recently, he has also been dedicated to the design project – DENTE DE CÃO – trying to create objects, predominantly in the furniture area, characterized by their versatility allowing to change them into multiple configurations, easily adapted to the needs of each user.

The differentiating element of each piece is searched on the technologies and ingeniousness combined with design, giving them originality and uniqueness.

https://cargocollective.com/dentedecao