I Am The River

About

ICH BIN DER FLUSS
I AM THE RIVER
Brazil is more than samba, carnaval and colonial heritage. The latinamerican country unites a living culture that emerged from diverse roots. Nowadays contemporary artists reflect living environments with which they deal in a critical way. Parallel worlds and subculture in big cities, reality blurs, it is a river. ICH BIN DER FLUSS brings the artist Tantão from Rio de Janeiro to Berlin.
On this year's Berlinale | Forum Expanded the film Eu sou o Rio will be shown. The film is about everyday life of Tantão and his artistic work process, documentated by the filmmakers duo Anne&Gabraz. A recurring topic is the journey of being. As audience we float and stream along
that river. We accompany the artistic journey of Tantão through Berlin. The exhibition will present the visual results of this special encounter.
„Music is made out of water. It is the crisis of water.“ (Tantão)
Rio de Janeiro. Where in the past colonial aristocracy resided until today there still lives the rich, chic and intelectual upper class of Brazil. But it is also a city in transformation. Old structures are changing, put into question and new ideas arise. Since the 1960s there is apparent movement in the art and culture scene of the city.

Confounded, marginal and punk, that is how the art of Tantão could be described. In Rio the artist is known as an icon of the underground scene. Tantão swims with the city, he floats and creates. He sings, writes, composes and paints. Performancer and visual artist. His art is not straightforward and
explicit, but versatile, spontaneous and improvised. It reflects his life. What he is and does, is Rio de Janeiro, too. He is not the head but the soul of his projects. Wherever he goes is art.

In February 2018 Tantão is coming to Berlin. Like Rio de Janeiro, Berlin has also a multicultural past and background, new and old are merging infinitely in a mix of different visions and ways of life. The exhibition ICH BIN DER FLUSS shows how the artist from Rio de Janeiro carries his cultural heritage and ideas to Berlin and presents the artistic results of an ecounter of two metropolis.

The visitors can expect an exhibition by an artist, who nearly is an artwork himself. His work does not only convince through the plastic language of his paintings but also through his own presence.
Tantão absorbed the chaos of the big city Rio and moves naturally between junkies on the street and art collectors of the higher class. Wherever he is or appears, he is totally present. We can be curious and excited to see his interaction with the german capital.Together with Tantao the documentary Eu sou o Rio by Anne&Gabraz arrives at Berlin. It will be
screened two times at the Forum Expanded of the Berlinale 2018. Right now a whole collective of creative people is working for making this big journey happens. Beneficary concerts, auctions of the paintings, Money is being raised through a crowdfunding campaign, Handpainted t-shirts, film
posters and all artworks from Tantão are on sale. All organized independently to pay the travel and accomodation expenses.

For the opening of the exhibition on the 23rd of February Tantão will improvise a performance together with the swedish sound artist Jonas Ohlsson. On the 02 of March another performance with Baba Electronica. The artistic process and residence will be filmed by Anne&Gabraz in a new
documentary later on. We are looking forward to an exciting journey.
Artist and filmmaker duo are at your disposal for interviews. Upon your request to the curator you can get additional footage as well.

Curator: Luiza Schiavo
Contact: luizaschiavo@gmail.com | +49 (0)160 92 01 74 86
Project Management: Margita Weiler
Assistant: Minnie Griffith
Support: Pitch it!, Prema Strack
More info / Links:
Crowdfunding Campaign:
http://www.embolacha.com.br/tantao-na-berlinale/
Eu sou o Rio at the Berlinale:
https://www.berlinale.de/de/presse/pressemitteilungen/forum/forum-presse-detail_41044.html
Tantão:
https://carlosantoniomattostantao.wordpress.com/sobre/
ICH BIN DER FLUSS:
http://premarts.de/ich-bin-der-fluss/
Anne&Gabraz | Eu sou o Rio:
http://www.semana.art.br/2017/filmes/eu-sou-o-rio
Project Space