Over the last few weeks I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Belén about her work and practice. This is in order to help preserve her ideas and ideal practices when it comes to both the creation and presentation of the work. I got the idea of asking artists about their ideal conditions when I first interviewed Time-Based Media artists. These artists’ work and medium are ones that change over time, or have unique configurations regarding their presentation. For example, all performance art in considered time-based as the presentation changes when exhibited at a different venue. During our latest conversation, I asked Belén about her intention regarding exhibition space.
During our reunion in Geneva, we reviewed a few exhibition images before a conference. When reviewing these images, a few stuck out to me, as they showed some intention behind how light would hit Belén’s work. The piece in question was Panóplias for the 2023 exhibition O Armário Móvel at the Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo in Évora, Portugal. Contained in a glass cabinet, these glass helmets, made from a mold of a bicycle helmet, sit in a center room, directly behind a window with natural light. During our more recent interview sessions, I asked Belén’s ideal presentation of work. “They’re not site specific,” she told me, “but it is something to think about. [The exhibition site] can transform the work though, like if it’s near the window or can see the garden.” She reiterated later that they were not made with site specificity, but exhibitions have the ability to “enrich the experience” of the work. Next week, we will look into this “experience.”
Image 1: Installation view of Panóplias for the 2023 exhibition O Armário Móvel at the Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo in Évora, Portugal. Notice how the light hits the pieces from the window behind it.