Exhibition "Ecstasy", by Flávia Junqueira

The dreamlike universe of artistic production Flavia Junqueira occupies the exhibition space of Fiesp Cultural Center, starting on September 18th, with the exhibition entitled “Ecstasy”, a neologism that mixes the feeling of ecstasy with the delirium of fantasy.

The exhibition presents developments of the artist's research, including scenography, photography, sculpture and lighting. Curated by Bianca Coutinho Dias, the public will access a selection of works spanning the last five years of her production and which will be exhibited together for the first time.

Focused on creating visual narratives that connect childhood, time and memory, Flávia Junqueira makes Extasia a large immersive installation, with an atmosphere of magic and enchantment. “I am continually looking for ways to connect the public with their own emotional experiences, using art as a tool to explore this complex desire”, says the artist.

The exhibition features nine staged photographs, always with the presence of latex balloons, produced inside and outside the country, in indoor and outdoor environments, such as parks, theaters, libraries, palace rooms and iconic monuments.

This is the case of the Henrique Lage Park, the Municipal Theater of Niterói and the Royal Portuguese Reading Room, all in Rio de Janeiro; the Ouro Preto Theater, in Minas Gerais; and an amusement park in the city of Amparo, São Paulo. Spanish buildings such as the Fernan Nuñez Palace, the Santoña Palace, the Liceu Opera Barcelona and the Linares Palace are also on display.

In this sensorial immersion proposed in the exhibition, the elements present in the photographs – amusement park lights, theater curtains, carousel horses and the latex balloons themselves – materialize in the space, gaining real size and intensifying the nostalgic feeling of childhood in visitors. It is as if they were inside the work at the same time as they observe it. “The public will not only be spectators of the art, but will also be in the middle of it, feeling what is in the photo beyond the photographic image”, he explains.

The artist's inventiveness is also revealed in the Magic Carnival series, an installation consisting of a set of miniature carousel horses. Placed in separate domes on a rotating table, the work references this toy found in parks.

Extasia also features two audiovisual works. One is a making-of, about the process of creating staged photographs, conceived in an analog way and using theatrical scenography techniques. The other is a video art, which projects a carousel created by the artist in an installation in Piracicaba (SP).

The executive manager of culture at SESI-SP, Débora Viana, highlights the importance of exhibitions such as Extasia being part of SESI-SP’s programming: “We reiterate our institution’s commitment to offering a cultural and artistic environment, providing the public with quality projects, access to works and the creative process of artists from diverse backgrounds, and encouraging reflection and experimentation. At SESI-SP, we consider it crucial to educate new art lovers, promoting the dissemination and access to culture free of charge. For this reason, we design and execute projects in a wide range of areas, inviting the public to dive headfirst into the universe of knowledge and artistic expression.”

.Service
Exhibition | Extasia
From September 18 to January 26, 2025
Tuesday to Sunday, from 10pm to 20pm