All the Revolving Cells. Pedro Barateiro, Rometti Costales, Rachel Pimm

About

In his book, A thousand Years of non-linear History, Manuel De Landa focuses on the relationship between natural sciences and sociology. As opposed to ideas of linear evolution, he re-imagines history as an arena where society and nature overlap through the exchange of matter and energy flows.  

For instance, in the same way a given chemical compound (i.e. water) may exist in several distinct states (solid, liquid, or gas) and may move from one stable state to another at critical points as a result of the intensity of temperature (phase transitions); a human society may also be seen as a material capable of undergoing these changes of states as it reaches critical mass in terms of density of settlement, amount of energy consumed, or even intensity of interaction.

With a focus on their internal organisation, the works in the exhibition participate in a potential conversation where nature speaks in relation to social behaviour(s), interacting and remaining unchanged at the same time. Thus, the exhibition aims to create an environment, where the works unfold as structures revealing the internally driven changes of social and natural organisms. Thinking about both realities as self-organising phenomena, the contributions by Pedro Barateiro, Rometti Costales and Rachel Pimm stand as reflections on the processes giving place to the physical constitution of natural and social entities. 

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Bios

Pedro Barateiro (b 1979 Almada, Portugal) lives and works in Lisbon PT. Through a range of different media, his work has previously explored concepts such as narration, ideology and storytelling and the ways in which they turn into political spaces and strategies for social inscription. Primarily working with existing objects, images and documents, his practice is driven by a critical -re-examination of those issues playing a major role in determining our perception of reality. 

Pedro Barateiro received his MFA from the Malmö Art Academy SE, and a BA from ESAD, Caldas da Rainha PT. He has been artist in residence at Pavillion, Palais de Tokyo, Paris FR (2008–09), and at the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP), New York US (2007–08). A selection of solo exhibitions include We Belong to the People When We’re Outside, Kettle's Yard, Cambridge UK (2013); Sad Savages, Parkour Lisbon PT (2012); Today our eyes are closed, Kunsthalle Lissabon, Lisbon PT (2010); Theatre of Hunters, Kunsthalle Basel CH (2010); Theory of Speech, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, Porto PT (2009); Amanhã não nasce ninguém, MARCO, Vigo ES (2009); What Are We Doing Here?, Spike Island, Bristol UK (2005); This is the place to be standing, Salão Olímpico, Porto PT (2005). His work has been exhibited in major group exhibitions including the 29th São Paulo Biennale BR (2010); Revolutions: Forms That Turn, 16th Biennale of Sydney AU (2008); When things cast no shadow, 5th Berlin Biennial of Contemporary Art DE (2008) and Busan Biennale KR (2006) among others. 

Rometti Costales (Julia Rometti, b 1975 in Nice, France and Victor Costales b 1974 Minsk, former USSR / Ecuadorian citizenship) is an artistic duo living and working in Mexico DF. In their speculative practice, they combine natural elements, archival material and manufactured objects in order to explore nature as a socio-political arena. Throughout the years, they have developed a special affinity with the work of contemporary anthropologist Eduardo Viveiros de Castro, and in particular with his concept of multiperspectivism. Rometti Costales combine their on-going research on socio-political issues in the natural realm with semi-fictional narratives, allowing the viewer to enter an open set of propositions. 

Julia Rometti graduated from the Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Arts Paris-Cergy and attended Le Pavillon laboratory program at Palais de Tokyo, Paris FR. Victor Costales graduated from the Instituto Latinoamericano de Diseño Grafico in Quito EC, the CFP Riccardo Bauer in Milan IT, and Instituto Italiano di Fotografia in Milan IT. 

A selection of recent solo exhibitions of Rometti Costales are AZUL JACINTO MARINO, CAC Synagogue de Delme FR (2015); Vamoose, all cacti jut torrid nites, Kunsthalle Basel CH (2014); La Variante Cósmica, Casa del Lago, Mexico City MX (2014) and Savage Palms, Worn Stones, Moonshine Vision, Midway Contemporary Art, Minneapolis US (2014). Their work has been recently exhibited in group shows The World was Flat, Bildmuseet Umea University, Umea SE (2015); Arriba como ramas que un mismo viento mueve, Museo Experimental El Eco, Mexico City MX (2014); TOPODENDROPHILIA, Pilar Corrias, London UK (2013); Studies for an Exhibition, David Roberts Art Foundation, London UK (2011); The 29th Bienal de São Paulo BR (2010) and No Soul For Sale - a festival of independents, Tate Modern, London UK (2010), among others.

Rachel Pimm (b 1984 Harare, Zimbabwe) lives and works in London. Working across sculpture, performance, sound and video her practice explores the organic interaction between man-made materials and natural elements. In her work, Pimm unfolds the ways in which different natural processes like aggregation and symbiosis relate to contemporary daily life, resulting into an investigation on the coexistence between naturalness and artificialness.

Rachel Pimm received her MFA in Fine Arts from the Goldsmiths College, University of London UK and a BA in Fine Arts from the Central Saint Martins, London UK. Recent solo projects are Worming out of shit, 21st Century, Chisenhale Gallery, London UK (2015); Natural Selection, Zabludowicz Collection invites Rachel Pimm, London UK (2014); Plants Under Glass, Enclave Gallery, London UK (2014) and The Open Home Show, Auto Italia, London UK (2008). A selection of recent group exhibitions include Planta: Notes on Botanical Dissidence, Acme Project Space, London UK (2015); Converse x, Dazed Emerging Artist Award, Royal Academy, London UK (2015); An evening on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Goethe Institute with Serpentine Gallery, London UK (2015); Yearbook 01, Enclave Gallery, London UK (2015); Marmalade Me, South London Gallery, London UK (2014) and Llocs Communs, Can Filipa, Barcelona SP (2014).