PLASTICITY AND MATERIALS
MAY 18, 2020
In the context of the temporary exhibition "Celebration and Body" of the artist Carmen, the Educational Service of MASF carried out activities of interpretive enrichment around the meeting between contemporary artistic creation and the historical-cultural heritage in our custody.

Visits were made for a group of students of the Visual Arts course at the University of Madeira. The group was divided into four subgroups of 5 students due to the pandemic. It was attended by three advisors - the artist and the two teachers of the educational service - who guided the visit and dialogues, with the different groups, in each of the predefined posts:

Part I: Held in the temporary exhibition hall. It was always guided by the artist Carmen, who dealt with the creative process inherent to the project presented and guided the students through the exhibition space, revealing themes, analogies, dialogues, supports and materials. The main piece was introduced, a surplice with Madeira embroidery from the early twentieth century, from the museum reserve, which served as the theme for the artist to create some of the pieces on display;

Part II: Held in room 5 of the 1st Floor and was guided by Professor Liliana Melim near the only embroidered vestment of the eighteenth century on display at the Museum. Based on the art present here - paintings, sculptures and textiles - and an exhibition, in the form of installation, with didactic materials coming from the archive of the educational service, from the reserves and on loan from the Igreja do Colégio, various topics were dealt with: the theme of embroidery and the textile patterns in the artistic representation; the creative process of inspiration in the vegetal motifs of the Baroque vestment on display, for the creation of Madeira embroidery scarves to sell in the shop in the 90s; the mannequin sculptures - rocas - dressed with Madeira embroidered textiles; the main stitches and patterns of the old Madeira embroidery, among others.

Part III: Held in rooms 10 and 11 of the second floor/ collection of Flemish art, where the artist gave two talks. In this grouping, Professor Martinho Mendes explained the processes of classical sculpture technology used by the artist to obtain the shapes that gave rise to the pieces presented on the floor. The dialogues sought to link Carmen's interventions with references to regional art and heritage. The artist engaged in a dialogue not only with Flemish painting and sculpture in the two rooms, but also evoked other expressions of heritage such as Madeira Embroidery, rolled stone pavements and floral carpets. At a time when rituals are disappearing, the artist prods the visitor to question what remains of the rituals and expressions that united communities.