Rivane Neuenschwander: Trôpego Trópico

About

Informed by the history of Latin American conceptualism, Neuenschwander creates experimental works using fragile and unassuming media. 

This presentation is part of a body of work created since the Covid-19 pandemic that continues Neuenschwander’s longstanding exploration of fear. The works depict anthropomorphic creatures entwined in violent embrace. Reptiles, insect-like figures, and female bodies fuse in rhythmic sequences. Their vivid colour and robust forms draw on 17th century Japanese erotic wood cuts as well as Cordel folk literature, popular in Brazil’s Northeast region. 

Drawing on myriad cultural references, Neuenschwander explores the weaponisation of fear as a method of social control. The stylised monsters recall narratives of colonial discovery, where exoticised visions of the tropics and alleged ritual sacrifice were used to justify imperialism. Allusions to rape also evoke the brutality of Portuguese settlers against local populations. This dialectic reflects Brazil’s colonial legacy and the complexities of coping with both objectification and self-definition through a foreign perspective.