Artistic residencies are very important to me. It is the time to face what is not common. Landscapes, ways to deal with problems that are intrinsic to work, such as materials, techniques and, most importantly: to directly experiment if my work can or cannot break geographic and behavioral boundaries. I believe that the artistic work is (or should be) independent from factors like these.

When I was invited to work in Vienna, the first question that came to my mind was why it was possible in 2013. A residency, in Austria, with 3 artists from the South Hemisphere – a Brazilian, a Colombian and a Nigerian artist… - it would not have been likely five years ago, for instance… Would it be viable now because of the “new” global economic characteristics? Or anessential exchange/permutation between distant countries?

These questions are closely related to...“Navio Negreiro” (Slave Ship)...entirely built in the Krinzinger residency in the first semester of 2013. With no previous project. A live experience about the place versus the artist versus the “world”.

In “Navio Negreiro”, a piece fully built with elements acquired in the market immediately close to Krinzinger Galerie – a market that was basically dominated by Turkish immigrants –, there is a curious encounter of an artificial plush blanket imitating the skin of a zebra. From my point of view, that was an interesting beginning, no doubt about that. The other elements that composed the work – a bibelot “African” elephant, pairs of leather gloves, Adidas bags, a leather belt and some penis enlargement devices, as well as the way they are “displayed”, are direct references to the informal market, the famous and fun flea markets of Vienna, and obviously to the street Latin American market and its numberless street sales people… in general, they are not as elegant as the ones you see in Paris, Brussels and Austria. The reason to show them is an attempt to answer the question I mentioned earlier.

To sum up, my purpose is clear: to place myself as a Latin-American artist working in the European continent, finding curious references about countries that are still considered to be “marginal”. To think about the exchange of information and merchandise, therefore, reflecting the Market of ART. The fact that boundaries are still overly respected, when, inpractice, they obviously shouldn’t be…
(Adriano Costa, Sao Paulo, December 16, 2013)