Rita RA

[Portugal, 1992]

Rita Rebelo de Andrade (Portugal, 1992) lives in Paris and develops a participative multidisciplinary artistic practice, grounded on the notions of aesthetic alchemies as experiences that incorporate the impact of our actions and its interplay with the environment. She graduated in Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon, has a master's degree in Performing Arts from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and completed an academic internship at the Assembler du Dehors association in Paris. Furthering her studies in Multimedia Art at the Academy of Arts and Design in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and lived in London, where she devoted herself mainly to jazz and painting. Since 2016, Rebelo has been invited by the artist Vhils to collaborate on various projects, as well as participating in implementing a major cultural center in Lisbon -  Brotéria. Highlighted in her recent trajectory are the artistic residency Effets Mer in Paris; followed by the collective show Mondes Nouveaux ( 2023) and the collective show, Tantas Vezes Digo Ao Orvalho Sou Como Tu at Brotéria Cultural Centre, alongside prominent artists such as Alberto Carneiro. 

photo credits: Madalena Meneses

  • 1. If you were to formulate your current work as questions, what could they be?

    What can art do for democracy?

    2. What are a few tension points that drive your investigation today? (i.e. empirical, social, political, environmental)

    The work is sustained by a net of tensions, conceptual ones anchored in the sense of belonging and the notion of community and family, social and economical ones anchored in gender and the tensions of being a woman, as well as formal ones that take into account ecological and sustainable principles, such as the the viable costs of materializing the work.

    3. ENVIRONMENT - If we were to depict an Open-Studio, what does the general environment in your studio look like? - What are your main mediums (technical and/or conceptual)

    In my studio I usually have a lot of collected materials such as street posters, magazines, fabrics and recycled papers. Scissors and cutting material. Handmade paints and papier mache. Prints, printers, stamps, my computer, sound records, a camera, and a projector. Music instruments (my guitars) and a speaker to listen to music, dance and think. Most recently having a kitchen is also crucial for the work I’m developing.

    4. A PIECE - Is there one artwork (in your production) that currently stands out to you? If so, what does it pose?

    Currently the wafers/hosts / edible poetry is still the work that most resonates to me. It poses the concept of individuality within the community – the shared body we collectively form.This triptych I absolutely love and is informed by Alberto Carneiro´s work. The relationship between: Art—Body—Nature alongside the notion of society as a living organism.

    5. MOTIF - Retrospectively; How would you define the motifs of your work — conceptually or plastically.

    Though I can vary on mediums my work generally stands on two motifs - them being installation and video. Conceptually, the work attempts to create shared spaces, where one can connect to the dual nature of the fragile and strong humanity we all share. 

    6. IMPACT - What would you like the impact of your work to be?

    Reflection, change, democracy, love. Individuality embedded in a deep caring, democratic community.

    7. An action - that “embodies” or stimulates your work.

    Collecting graphic material, dancing, playing and listening to music and loitering (walking around with any specific purpose).

    8. Name an artist “embedded” in practice / research

    Agnes Denes, Wolfgang Laib, Tyler Hobbs (…)

Ó subalimentados do sonho! / a arte é para comer, 2024