Roter Faden Weisses Gold
The exhibition "Roter Faden Weisses Gold" explores the connections between Brazil and Switzerland, in particular between Belém and Basel. These connections were forged when Basel-born artist, designer and researcher Alex Amir Khan travelled to Brazil as part of a residency with ProHelvetia Southamerica. The aim of this trip was to find out more about the wild-growing Amazon rubber and the people who live from the Hevea brasiliensis tree.
The exhibition "Roter Faden Weisses Gold" combines personal impressions with the colonial and contemporary history of Amazonia, highlighting decolonising, intersectional and intercultural aspects. "Roter Faden" is an audiovisual work created in collaboration with Rafael Maciel and deals with the perpetual search for the red thread in life as a central theme, while at the same time reflecting on the influence of the Amazon on our way of life.
"Weisses Gold" consists of textile sculptures that shed light on the traditional technique of Amazonian rubber extraction and its colonial entanglements. The rubber-coated threads of these sculptures, which were created in collaboration with Katia Fagundes, were made in Brazil and woven with gold from a Swiss bank in Switzerland. This exhibition offers a deep insight into the multifaceted history of the Amazon and invites visitors to discover the complex cultural and historical connections.
Roter Faden Weisses Gold - Video Roter Faden; eight sculptures | various sizes - Natural rubber, organic pigment, cotton thread and brass wire, Video & Photo: Rafa Maciel; Performance: Alex Amir Khan | 2023-2024Collaborators:
Rafa Maciel is a Brazilian student of the Fine Arts programme at the Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Para and an independent film director. He has been working in the audiovisual field since 2020 and has created seven short films and other works in this field that have been selected at film festivals.
Katia Fagundes is a Brazilian artist and designer with over 15 years of experience in sustainable Amazonian fashion. She is the creative partner of Da Tribu, a brand that strongly emphasises the use of natural materials and community engagement. Fagundes' work focuses on the intersection of art, design and sustainability, with a particular emphasis on the innovative use of wild Amazonian rubber.
Curation:
Sophie Plattner studied at the Hyperwerk Institute of the Basel School of Art and Design, specialising in various materials and media forms. She then completed an internship at the Fantoche Festival for Animated Film. She designed the set for the Premio 2023 award-winning performance "Why don't you sleep at night?" by Landholz Productions. She has been studying for a Master's in Art Education at Bern University of the Arts since autumn 2022.
Mentorship:
Romario Alves and Lou Hecker