auroras is pleased to present the exhibition “Unfinished Monument” that brings together a diverse group of artists and collectives with works that deal with different problems faced by politics and by Brazil’s current situation.

In this scenario, the threat against democracy, hunger, violence, racism, the destruction of the environment, the lack of public policies on drugs and abortion are some of the topics in the exhibition. The artistic formalizations are of the most diverse, from paintings to t-shirts, flags and sculptures, photographs and printed works.

The exhibition’s title is based on Antonio Dias’ work “The Unfinished Monument II” (1969). The painting, from his conceptual period, inscribes on a red plane the familiar grid of his works, within which the word “Hungry” is repeated, except for the last quadrant. This work, which is presented publicly for the first time, was the starting point for thinking about the current situation in the country and the different issues that we must face as a society.

The strategies to deal with these issues also differ for artists and collectives from such different contexts. While some opt for a critique with a certain irony, others propose symbolic gestures or even interventions in the public space and in the dynamics of social life. The point is that if art does not need to respond to political demands, even in such acute situations, there is an undeniable relationship between artworks and the contemporary world. Thus, it is possible to see in these manifestations some ideas, or even requests or exclamations to shake the limits of representations and representatives.

The manifesto-letter “I want a president” (1992) by the American artist Zoe Leonard, is another significant work that is part of the show. The work, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is a request for a change in the political structure. Coordinated by Nessia Pope, a simultaneous and joint action of several galleries and cultural agents will be carried out based on this “poem”.