Vitrine
Over 6 weeks we developed different installations in an empty shop at Picoas Metrostation. The shop was used in the spring for different artistic projects and opened the doors to the public and passerbys. Due to the uncertainty of a prolonged contract Maisuno+1 collective decided to close the space for the public. But still using the space as a site for creative exploration and ephemeral displays.
— duração do projeto
30.07.2024 - 13.09.2024
30.07.2024 - 13.09.2024
— curadores
Aino Garcia Vainio | Joyce Ward | Sophia Niederkofler
Aino Garcia Vainio | Joyce Ward | Sophia Niederkofler
This vitrine sees displayed a series of half-objects or broken entities that stand individually in the room but also, depending on the stand point of the observer, in relation with one another. On the right side of the vitrine hangs an anthropomorphic carton-marionette figure, partly covered by shiny black matter, which stands in contrast with the white metro ghost almost at the same hight on the left side. Moreover groups of objects stand in the room, with broken skateboards with a piece of street, oddly positioned broken vintage children’s toys, destroyed floppy discs and a light play hanging, made with a collage of the inside of the floppy discs (by Aino Garcia Vainio). On the back right corner there is the Afromerica globe by MoMO gallery that interacts with the background shaped by irregular stripes (by Joyce Ward and Sophia Nieder…). On the one hand a long black shiny stripe that makes a whole round in the room, and on the other hand with segments of colourful wrap paper, partly featuring Popota. On the “display surface” three objects lay equidistant from each other: a vase with brushed made by Clem, a head of a dog with a blonde wig and a muffin.
This vitrine aims at challenging the perception transmitted by a showcase in the context of both the “museum effect” as well as the consumption culture. The physical distance imposed by the materiality of the glas transmits the conception of being showed something valuable. The observer is challenged by the habit of perceiving something precious when actually confronted with half-objects, broken entities and chaos. Moreover the isolation of an object while reinforcing its value also pushes the observer to admire its aesthetic quality. In this context, when watching the #1 vitrine, while objects can be standing as individual groups, depending on the stand point, they will always also stand in relation to one or more groups of objects. This way not only it is impossible to admire singular objects or groups as isolated entities, but the crossing of them is out of the control of the observer. This vitrine is placed in a metro station: people watch it by walking. There is therefore an almost instant new constellation of the display by every step the observer takes, while going where they are headed. Both of these distorted perceptions culminate on the “display surface” where the observer is challenged by non-valuable, silly and senseless self-standing objects.
This vitrine aims at challenging the perception transmitted by a showcase in the context of both the “museum effect” as well as the consumption culture. The physical distance imposed by the materiality of the glas transmits the conception of being showed something valuable. The observer is challenged by the habit of perceiving something precious when actually confronted with half-objects, broken entities and chaos. Moreover the isolation of an object while reinforcing its value also pushes the observer to admire its aesthetic quality. In this context, when watching the #1 vitrine, while objects can be standing as individual groups, depending on the stand point, they will always also stand in relation to one or more groups of objects. This way not only it is impossible to admire singular objects or groups as isolated entities, but the crossing of them is out of the control of the observer. This vitrine is placed in a metro station: people watch it by walking. There is therefore an almost instant new constellation of the display by every step the observer takes, while going where they are headed. Both of these distorted perceptions culminate on the “display surface” where the observer is challenged by non-valuable, silly and senseless self-standing objects.
The framework for this project was both a challenge and a guiding principle: to create engaging installations with no additional costs, minimal waste, and maximum ingenuity. Each week, we developed a new idea collaboratively, coming together on the day to brainstorm and transform the “vitrine” with different installations. The vitrine, traditionally associated with the presentation of valuable or fragile objects in museums and retail environments, has long been a symbol of preservation and curation. In its essence, the vitrine frames objects within a transparent barrier, creating a space where viewers engage with what is displayed while remaining physically separate. This separation invites contemplation, imbuing everyday or found objects with an aura of significance. By isolating items in a controlled environment, the vitrine recontextualizes them, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.
For the installations and displays we utilized materials from our storage, objects found on the streets, and items lent to us by friends, we prioritized sustainability and emphasized the reuse of discarded or forgotten materials. Our process was inherently collaborative, relying on the synergy of collective effort and hands-on experimentation. The result was a series of dynamic, ever-changing installations that evolved weekly. By stepping away from traditional exhibition models, we aimed to reimagine the role of a space in transition and the transformative potential of shared creativity.
Here you can have a look at the 5 different topics and see photos and read the artistic statements:
For the installations and displays we utilized materials from our storage, objects found on the streets, and items lent to us by friends, we prioritized sustainability and emphasized the reuse of discarded or forgotten materials. Our process was inherently collaborative, relying on the synergy of collective effort and hands-on experimentation. The result was a series of dynamic, ever-changing installations that evolved weekly. By stepping away from traditional exhibition models, we aimed to reimagine the role of a space in transition and the transformative potential of shared creativity.
Here you can have a look at the 5 different topics and see photos and read the artistic statements:
#1 DISPLAY SURFACE
This vitrine displays a series of half-objects or broken entities that stand individually in the room but also, depending on the standpoint of the observer, in relation with one another. On the right side of the vitrine hangs an anthropomorphic cartoon-marionette figure, partly covered by shiny black matter, which stands in contrast with the white metro ghost almost at the same height on the left side. Moreover groups of objects stand in the room, with broken skateboards with a piece of street, oddly positioned broken vintage children’s toys, destroyed floppy discs and a light play hanging, made with a collage of the inside of the floppy discs (by Aino Garcia Vainio). On the back right corner there is the Afromerica globe by MoMO gallery that interacts with the background shaped by irregular stripes (by Joyce Ward and Sophia Niederkofler). On the one hand a long black shiny stripe that makes a whole round in the room, and on the other hand with segments of colourful wrap paper, partly featuring Popota. On the “display surface” three objects lay equidistant from each other: a vase with brushes made by Clem, a head of a dog with a blonde wig and a muffin.
This vitrine aims at challenging the perception transmitted by a showcase in the context of both the “museum effect” as well as the consumption culture. The physical distance imposed by the materiality of the glass transmits the conception of being shown something valuable. The observer is challenged by the habit of perceiving something precious when actually confronted with half-objects, broken entities and chaos. Moreover the isolation of an object while reinforcing its value also pushes the observer to admire its aesthetic quality. In this context, when watching the #1 vitrine, while objects can be standing as individual groups, depending on the standpoint, they will always also stand in relation to one or more groups of objects. This way not only is it impossible to admire singular objects or groups as isolated entities, but the crossing of them is out of the control of the observer. This vitrine is placed in a metro station: people watch it by walking. There is therefore an almost instant new constellation of the display by every step the observer takes, while going where they are headed. Both of these distorted perceptions culminate on the “display surface” where the observer is challenged by non-valuable, silly and senseless self-standing objects.
Artists: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio, MoMO Gallery, Clem
Curators: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Aino Garcia Vainio
This vitrine aims at challenging the perception transmitted by a showcase in the context of both the “museum effect” as well as the consumption culture. The physical distance imposed by the materiality of the glass transmits the conception of being shown something valuable. The observer is challenged by the habit of perceiving something precious when actually confronted with half-objects, broken entities and chaos. Moreover the isolation of an object while reinforcing its value also pushes the observer to admire its aesthetic quality. In this context, when watching the #1 vitrine, while objects can be standing as individual groups, depending on the standpoint, they will always also stand in relation to one or more groups of objects. This way not only is it impossible to admire singular objects or groups as isolated entities, but the crossing of them is out of the control of the observer. This vitrine is placed in a metro station: people watch it by walking. There is therefore an almost instant new constellation of the display by every step the observer takes, while going where they are headed. Both of these distorted perceptions culminate on the “display surface” where the observer is challenged by non-valuable, silly and senseless self-standing objects.
Artists: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio, MoMO Gallery, Clem
Curators: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Aino Garcia Vainio
#2 SHADOW BORDERS
The #2 vitrine sees a spatial dialogue between shadows, floating entities and a long closed line on the floor, all of these entities being white. Perhaps the first element the viewer is confronted with, are the shadows of hands projected on a white background on the wall. Indeed, in order to see the rest of the composition, it is necessary to come closer to the vitrine, since the floating bubbles that look almost like clouds and the border-line are (almost) laying on the ground.
This vitrine aims at confronting the notions of reality, realism and borders. The shadows of the hands on the wall are projections of objects defined by a distorted shape. They are not the object itself while at the same time the glass surfaces dividing the space into an inside and an outside denies the viewer the access to know the reality behind the shadows. They are therefore indexes of a truth that could be, that is represented, but they are not the truth. As the vitrine starts with the representation of a possible reality made by indexes it brings the viewer to a state of perception of a possible reality that questions the reality itself, triggering their instinct of understanding the sight in a realistic way, therefore connecting the index to a known reality. This is highlighted by the central and sharpest shape: an index pointing down, or better an index of an index pointing down. The border-line on the ground also bears in this concept of an index to a constructed space defining one more time an inside and an outside. The index on the wall points down to this geometrical line that resembles something like the lines on sports camps, suggesting that this border-line is also just an index to an idea that has nevertheless found a materiality on the ground, in contrast to the shadows. This line is made of flour which, apart from being a very cheap source of nutrition, is also vulnerable to change by the wind, someone stepping on it or just a brush. Hide behind a vitrine however, it is protected by all of these changes. Lastly these concepts of reality, realism, border and untouchability of them is emphasised by the clouds or, as they originally were thought, pieces of the earth floating around, suggesting that the earth is immune to the borders, who claim to define it.
Artists: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Curators: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Aino Garcia Vainio
#3 SCREAM ROOM
The "Scream Room" is a conceptual installation which locks screams as human emotions in a glass vitrine inside Picoas Metrostation. In the first phase of the project we invite passerbys, and others to think about a scream as an explosion of emotions in a raw form, which is often suppressed in society. We are looking for screams of fear, happiness, anger, stress-ventil, …
When was the last time you screamed at the top of your lungs?
Upon first approach, the installation appears as an unassuming site of construction, the room obscured by an black wrapping. From the metro stop, it mimics the ongoing urban metamorphoses surrounding it. But as soon as you ascend the stairs in front of its window something different happens. Here, the illusion ruptures: a shattered mirror reveals fragmented reflections of the passerby. One hole in the mirror is precisely aligned with where your face might appear.
You look inside and a large typographic declaration—Scream Room—anchors the opposite wall, its letters looming over shards of mirror scattered across the floor. The space is both disorienting and clarifying. The black wrap itself defies expectations; with light, it transforms from opaque to translucent, dissolving the boundary between the viewer and the hidden world within.
The interplay of mirror and black surfaces reflects not only the external environment but also the viewer's own form, transposing the flatness of reflection into a multidimensional invitation. The hole in the mirror, perfectly calibrated to frame your face, situates the participant at the center of a transformative moment. Beyond it lies a visual and acoustic escape: a space for the unfiltered release of a scream.
As a continuation of this concept and to the until now silent scream a shape we invited passersby and friends to send us voice messages with screams of different everyday emotions.
All the collected SCREAM-recordings will be part of an evolving auditory collage of the #5 vitrine. Each scream, representing a unique expression of the human condition, contributes to a collective soundscape.
In the second phase installation challenges societal norms around emotional restraint, offering a cathartic release and a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. It transforms personal pain into communal art, allowing visitors to experience the transformative power of expressing and sharing their most intense emotions.
Artists: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio, MoMO Gallery, Clem
Curators: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Sophia Niederkofler
#4 SURFACE ORDER
In this vitrine there are three quite isolated elements standing on three layers. The first layer is a black wrap on the glass that has been ripped in order to give the impression of a broken mirror that opens the door to a distorted reality. On the second layer there is a self standing installation constructed by random real or reality-resembling objects that develop vertically, from the roots to the top. On the wall in the background there is a writing “SURFACE ORDER”, an art statement by MoMO Gallery.
Surface Order, two words that together do not have a given meaning, standing alone and coupled play with the perception of the viewer. Influenced by the personal experience as well as from the installation standing in front of it, the viewer will perceive the association of these words in a personal unique way. The order is also challenged by the installation in the middle of the room. The vertical assemblage of random half-real objects chaotically put together to achieve a form looks like it is growing by itself, almost as if it was immune to artificial imagination. Lastly, the surface of the vitrine is reigned by a strong black outline, most of it being covered by a leather-resembling material. The setting looks like a broken mirror, which apart from being eye-catchy, is both threatening and gives hope at the same time, being a portal to an immaculate word or representing a surface order.
Artists: Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Curators: Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Aino Garcia Vainio
Artists: Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Curators: Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Aino Garcia Vainio
#5 SCREAM-SCAPE
Building upon the concept of the #3 Scream Room installation, this continuation transforms the vitrine into an archive and embodiment of human emotions. In the aftermath of the initial call for screams 22 screams were collected. Each of them is an auditory imprint of a distinct emotional state in different situations. From stress to joy, fear to amusement, these screams compose a raw, vocal landscape of emotions, reflecting the breadth of human experience through the unfiltered act of release.
At the heart of the installation lies the Box of Origin, a container both literal and symbolic. It houses the collection of screams and serves as a reminder of their shared humanity: an assemblage of singular expressions, yet universally resonant. This central object offers visitors a contemplative point of focus amidst the fragmented chaos of strings coming out of the inside of the box. Each black string is attached to one starting point of a contour line forming a landscape on the glass.These threads create a visual dialogue between human emotion and the natural world, forging a poetic connection between the inner landscapes of feeling and the physical terrain of the earth. It is a catalyst for an exploration of one's own emotional topography.
Artists: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Curators: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Sophia Niederkofler
Artists: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Curators: Joyce Ward, Sophia Niederkofler, Aino Garcia Vainio
Text: Sophia Niederkofler
