Performance by muSa Michelle Mattiuzzi in the exhibtition Transition Exhibition at Kunsthaus Dahlem.
The Abolition Garden by the artist muSa Michelle Mattiuzzi is a nomadic memorial consisting of herbs, flowers and soil, as well as a neon sign. Picking up on oral traditions, it recalls the vases of camellia blossoms placed in windows by opposition members in Brazil in 1888 as a sign of solidarity with the abolition of slavery. The work connects the Brazilian healers’ knowledge of herbs and flowers to their ongoing struggle for the right to their own land, from which they have been displaced since colonization. From inside the exhibition space the Abolition Garden is illuminated by the phrase “Intuition frees the imagination” in neon lettering. It is a quote from the text Unpayable Debt (2021) by the Brazilian philosopher Denise Ferreira da Silva and invites the viewer to reimagine the works in the collection, as living beings. With her triangular shapes in the open air, the artist formulates a homage to Black feminism – the concept links a critique of racism and sexism. In its initial stage, the installation consists of shards of clay and churned earth, which prepare the ground for the next flowering season in spring.
Please note: Participation is only possible with complete vaccination protection or proof of convalescent status + a booster vaccination or rapid test (no self-test). The current distance and hygiene regulations apply, as well as a general FFP2 mask requirement.
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