Rita Palma

Statement

My work has been evolving around the idea of perception of our own identity and its fragility. It often seems possible to trace the thoughts and actions of an individual and connect them to external sources like their culture, the way society has made them and their genetics and instincts. While representing the human figures (through oil painting or through photography) I exclude any context in an attempt to express the uncomfortable moment of confrontation with the emptiness of the self. But although I see myself as corrupted by society, I also came to realize I’m also corrupted by my own animal desires. Underlying my artistic work, there’s a process of research that goes back and forth between the sphere of values and context (from external sources) and the sphere of desires and instincts (from genetics). I am society and society is myself. Each individual bounces between the polarity of victim and aggressor of society. Individually humans are fragile. Without the others we are nobody. Even our own definition of “I” presupposes the existence of “others”. If the human being is the result of its context and instincts, all its actions can be justified and predicted. The human is an inoffensive animal. It’s almost comical how fragile it becomes.

GlogauAIR Project

In the GlogauAiR residency I intend to continue and develop the project I’m currently working on. “ANIMALS” is about the displacement of people as individuals in society. These days human beings are used to the constant change. Their biggest strength is adaptation, so we, humans, adapted to this pace. In fact, we crave change. Our curiosity is inherent to our species. Paradoxically, humans also need a sense of belonging and integration. Change is happening faster than ever before. Too fast for people to ground themselves. Displacement became normality. And normality is the acceptance of the majority. Berlin is the culmination of displacement. Being one of the most multicultural cities in Europe, this stage of contemporary people is the best scenario for a further evolution of my project.

I intend to present this idea through a series of portraits where the individual beings are displaced out of their context. Free of conceptions they appear in an uncomfortable emptiness. Then, I want to take my artistic process further and take the portraits themselves out of the environment of the studio. Out of context, the paintings are ungrounded, like those who they represent. Through this contrast I intend to express the overlapping values we all share and the struggle of integration.

CV Summary

Education

• September 2014 – June 2018: Bachelor degree in Painting – Fine Arts University of Lisbon

Collective Exhibitions

• 3.27 June 2017, Centro Cultural de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal
• 12×12 December 2016, Atelier da Travessa, Lisbon, Portugal
• O meu lugar December 2015, Associação de Moradores da Portela, Loures, Portugal

Gallery