Galerie Max Hetzler is pleased to present an exhibition of Marepe in the temporary space at OsramHöfe, Oudenarder Strasse 16-20. Marepe was born 1970 as Marcos Reis Peixoto in Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, Brazil where he also lives and works. This is his first solo exhibition in Germany. On the opening day, April 28, there will be a performance from 7 pm.
Tradition and culture of his native region of Bahia, as well as themes like poverty, colonialism and globalism are key points of Marepe’s work. In the show at Galerie Max Hetzler four sculptures are being exhibited for which he used material from his rural region. A Mudança (2005), is a wooden pick up truck with furniture, a stove and other belongings one would bring when moving to a new place.
Os Filtros (1999) consists of common water filters that Marepe stretched to make them longer. They stand on wooden pedestals together with small glasses for the visitors who are meant to actually drink the filtered water. The installation comments the lack of and the importance of drinking water, a common problem in many parts of the world. Through the act of drinking, the installation also offers a sort of cleansing process that indicates water as healing or purifying.
Marepes sculptures often invite the viewers to interact and only until then does he consider them complete. Everyday objects such as ceramic water filters, wash basins and cooking pans hold an important position. Marepe does not use them as ready-mades, but modifies them. He calls his sculptures „necessities“ and focuses hereby on the way the objects are being used. The social function is more important than the object itself.
Andador (2005) is a common walking aid for babies which Marepe made bigger, more than 3 metres high. The overwhelming size makes it difficult at first sight to recognize what it actually is. Even something as domestic as the TV appears oversized in Periquitos (2005), a 460 x 615 x 370 cm large model of a TV with colored plexiglass and motorized figures with red beaks moving behind the screen.
Marepe’s work brings to mind an expression of the fellow Brazilian artist Oiticia: „Urban poetic event“.
Marepe has been exhibiting his work since the early 1990’s. He had solo exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou, Paris in 2005, at the Anton Kern Gallery, New York in 2004 and regularly at Galeria Luisa Strina, São Paulo. In 2003 he also participated at the Biennials in Istanbul and in Venice.
Further exhibitions:
April 28 – June 3
Zimmerstrasse 90/91: Beatriz Milhazes
Holzmarktstrasse 15-18: Mona Hatoum
Upcoming exhibition:
June 9 – July 15
Haluk Akakçe
Zimmerstrasse 90-91: (drawings)
Holzmarktstrasse 15-18: (video)
