Crossing the border. The new Babylonians: Porto
Two works by José de Almada Negreiros and a gouache by Sonia Delaunay are currently in Porto as part of the exhibition Crossing the border. The new Babylonians: Porto, which is on display between 18 September and 21 November in the Galeria Municipal do Porto, curated by artist Pedro G. Romero.
The exhibition focuses on the concept of ‘New Babylonians,’ developed by Guy Debord, Constant Nieuwenhuys, Har Oudejans and Pinot‑Gallizio on the basis of the situationist project ‘New Babylon.’ Seeking out the fundamental ideas underlying the project, the exhibition questions society’s perception of the lives of nomadic groups, gypsies, flamenco performers and exiled libertarians.
The work Chanteur Flamenco (dit Petit Flamenco), created by Sonia Delaunay in 1916 and part of the CAM collection, verges on Orphism, with a visual composition rhythmically marked by geometric planes, in an exploration of colour and movement. This piece is joined by two drawings by Almada Negreiros, in storage in the CAM, produced in 1924 and 1925, which depict the Argentinian dancer: La Argentinita.
The exhibition closes on 21 November with a performance by Yinka Esi Graves, entitled The Disappearing Act. The project was developed following the Flamenco dancer’s artistic residency at the Crystal Palace, in Porto, based on the First Portuguese Colonial Exhibition.
