Quel Amour!? at the Museu Coleção Berardo

What (is) love, after all?

As their press release stated, Museu Coleção Berardo has proposed to show some artists’ answers to the question that lends the exhibition its name. It inaugurated last Wednesday the 10^th October and it will run until the 17^th February 2019.

 

Wolfgang Tillmans' photographs

 

The purpose is to explore how different people react differently when faced with the big L. Actually, what we learn is that it is only possible to talk about Love in the form of its particular, independent manifestations and in those where love is lacking. All these reactions were carefully picked by curator and artist Éric Corne.

 

It doesn’t take a genius to say that ideal Love doesn’t exist, in that it is impossible to make the concept fit everyone’s experience. For that reason, Quel Amour!? Gives access to many artist’s own experiences, the likes of Chantal Akerman, Helena Almeida, Louise Bourgeois, Sophie Calle, Lourdes Castro, Gérard Garouste, Nan Goldin, William Kentridge, Annette Messager, Raymond Pettibon, Germaine Richier, Kiki Smith, Ernesto de Sousa, Wolfgang Tillmans or Francesca Woodman.

 

Helena Almeida's photographs

 

To be even more accurate, we can’t even be sure that it’s first-person accounts we’re looking at. Rather, they’re accounts of what these people have seen as representative of a state of love or lack thereof. 

 

Scattered through the 0 and -1 floors there are violent, melancholic, fatal, serene, tranquil and overwhelming love scenes. There are laments, celebrations, and manifestos. There are muted cries and quite audible ones, there is the beginning and end of romance and revindications of self-love (which is often not given the attention it deserves).

 

The exhibition really does give diversity pride of place. From installation to performance and to music, there are as many forms and channels as there are experiences. The works themselves are as strong and powerful as love is present in everybody’s lives. 

Portraits by Nan Goldin

 

Because saying that every piece of work deserves to be highlighted would be the same as saying that none should, we suggest visiting the video installation Turbulent(1998) by Shirin Neshat, and the slide presentation All By Myself (1995-6) by Nan Goldin. Have a look at the room where Paula Rego’s paintings are and don’t forget to cast a glance to Helena Almeida’s photos or Kiki Smith’s sculptures.  

 

Photo: ©Helena Almeida. Sem título / Untitled, 2010. Prova em gelatina sal de prata / Gelatin silver print. Cortesia da / Courtesy of Galeria Filomena Soares.