Opening: Friday October 31th, 5.30 p.m
Assuming that any claim to neutrality is unfeasible from both a present and historical perspective, one could argue that there are circumstances and spaces that particularly support this premise. Constitution Hill Museum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Nelson Mandela Legacy Route. The site shares the journey of South Africa’s Liberation Heritage and is home to South Africa’s Constitutional Court, a Creative Hub and a champion for Human Rights causes. Taking space in the museum’s exhibitions with a contemporary art intervention entails the ethical responsibility of finding the right piece or pieces to shed light on and update the reasons why Constitution Hill is a memorial site. It is at the intersection of history, memory, and the present that Sally Gutiérrez Dewar's work becomes so vital. I must ask her, and myself, what sustained the spirits of those imprisoned and tortured at Constitution Hill if not the belief that future generations — us — would listen to, and heed, their voices when the time came? That time has come. We are indebted to all those who gave their lives for justice. Their message is clear: justice must be served here and now. Without justice, there will be no peace. BIENALSUR conceived Sally Gutiérrez's presentation with these principles in mind, which confirms once again our commitment to making every art space a place for reflection and action.
A project by Sally Gutiérrez Dewar (ESP) in collaboration with Gabriela Gutiérrez Dewar (ESP) and Declinación magnética (ESP).
Image: Sally Gutiérrez Dewar