ART PREVIEW:Ernesto Neto at Kiasma

Through his formal vocabulary, Ernesto Neto engages with the idea of social interaction. Ernesto Neto has gained acclaim for his large experimental environments that dramatically alter our surroundings, engage all the senses, and invite to interact. The deliberate choice of materials, the simultaneity of internal and external structures, the contrast between the organic and the mechanic, along with sensuality are all phenomena involved in his works.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma Archive

Ernesto Neto’s installations draw on the lessons of Minimalist sculpture, New Brazilian Objectivity of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the anthropomorphic architecture, removing the visitor from the assault and grind of the everyday world and providing an opportunity to slow down and reconnect with essential multisensory experiences. Constantly opening new formal and conceptual developments in his work, Ernesto Neto describes sculpture as a living organism transgressing all limitations. Through his art, Neto offers a moment of respite from the bustle of everyday life, calming the mind and tuning the senses. Organised by Kiasma, the exhibition comprises works from 2009 to 2016 and is Neto’s first solo exhibition in Finland. Individual works by Neto have been shown in Kiasma previously in group exhibitions in 2001 and 2003. In recent years, Ernesto Neto has found strong resonance for his art from his collaboration with the Huni Kuin, an indigenous people in the Amazon. He is intrigued by their traditions and rituals, particularly by their desire to achieve happiness and harmony in life and to abide by the timeless wisdom of nature. Installed on the 5th floor in Kiasma, Neto’s new piece contains strong references to the culture of the Huni Kuin, both symbolically and tangibly. Inspired originally by the shape of the head of a boa constrictor, the installation contains elements that Neto has been using in his work for more than 20 years: the unity of humanity and nature, sensuousness, experientiality and the production of positive energy. The exhibition also reflects Neto’s views on respecting the rights and traditions of indigenous peoples and the appreciation of cultural difference.

Info: Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki, Duration: 4/3-4/9/16, Days & Hours: Tue & Sun 10:00-17:00, Wed-Fri 10:00-20:30, Sat 10:00-18:00, www.kiasma.fi