Laura Belém works with installation, sculpture, sound, photography, video and drawing. His work and performance focuses on themes such as narratives of memory, displacement and transience, where space, time and work come into dialogue. The works inhabit a conceptual zone that mixes the surroundings with the poetic and the political, in an appropriation and free re-signification of themes such as landscape, environment and daily life.
“There are many ways to serve the world and our communities. One type of service can be of a more poetic nature and another of a more political nature, and sometimes these vocations are mixed. Poetry touches us through emotion and the heart, evoking a new perceptual awareness. When we are touched, we are sensitized and made to think and act in a different way, and there may be a seed for transformation and resilience, at the individual and collective level ”, declared Laura in 2020.
Laura Belém holds a BA in Arts from the Escola de Belas Artes da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (1996) and a Master's in Fine Arts from the Central Saint Martins College of Art (2000 - London, United Kingdom). Participated in artistic residencies in several institutions, the most recent being: Wildbad Art Residency (2019 - Germany) and the Delfina Foundation Residence Award (2018 - United Kingdown). Among other awards received by the artist are: CIFO Grants and Commissions Program / “Emerging Recipientes” from Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundations (2011 - U.S.A.), Prêmio CNI SESI Marcantônio Vilaça para artes plásticas (2011 - São Paulo, Brazil) and Bolsa Pampulha from Museu de Arte da Pampulha (2004 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil).
Among her main solo exhibitions are: 2018 - Porque olhamos a natureza num mundo conturbado (Celma Albuquerque Galeria de Arte - Belo Horizonte, Brazil); 2016 - História Curtas (Galeria Athena - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); 2015 - Ilha Restaurante (Casa do Baile - Belo Horizonte, Brazil); Hoje tem Cine (Sesc Palladium - Belo Horizonte, Brazil); Anekdota (Capela Morumbi - São Paulo, Brazil); 2012 - The Temple of a Thousand Bells (York St Mary’s - York, United Kingdon); 2011 - A Outra Paisagem (Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil); among others.
Among her main group exhibitions are: 2020 - Artistas se divertem (Praça Adolfo Bloch - São Paulo, Brazil); 2019 - 3º Anto: O Verso (Museu do Louvre Pau Brazyl - São Paulo, Brazil); 2018 - Com o Ar Pesado Demais para Respirar (Galeria Athena - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); 2017 - Tempo Presente (Espaço Cultural Porto Seguro - São Paulo, Brazil); 2016 - Transparência e reflexo (Museu Brasileiro da Escultura - São Paulo, Brazil); A spear, a spike, a point, a nail, a drip, a drop, the end of the tale (Ellen de Bruijne Projects - Amsterdan, Holland); 2014 - Limited Visibility (CAM Raleigh Contemporary Art Museum - Raleigh, USA); 2013 - Amor e Ódio a Lygia Clark, (Zacheta National Gallery of Art - Warsaw, Poland); 2011 - Viewpoint (Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation - Miami, USA); 2010 - The more things change (San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts - São Francisco, USA); 2007 - VI Bienal de Artes Visuais do Mercosul (Porto Alegre, Brazil); 2005 - 51st Venice Biennale (Venice, Italy); among others.
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Laura Belém: um pássaro corta o espaço
13 May - 1 July 2023O título da exposição de Laura Belém poderia estar em uma lista dos menores contos do mundo. São apenas cinco palavras, 34 caracteres com espaço. Se desconsiderarmos os espaços, são...Read more -
Ten Years Later
Group show 4 September - 23 October 2021Ten years later celebrates a decade of Galeria Athena's activities in Rio de Janeiro. To celebrate this moment, a selection of works by the thirteen artists currently represented was gathered...Read more -
With the air too heavy to breath
Group show 20 September - 24 November 2018Galeria Athena is pleased to present the group show With the air too heavy to breath, curated by Lisette Lagnado. André Griffo | Anna Bella Geiger | Antonio Dias |...Read more -
Permission to Speak
15 January - 25 March 2017'Could this be just the natural order of things?' asked the old pig Major early on in his speech, which ended up serving as an incentive for Animal Farm. Published...Read more -
Effort-Performance
3 February - 5 March 2016The expression “Effort-Performance” refers to a concept coined by the theories of motivation with the aim of explaining the triggering elements of behavior in order to produce incentive models. Therefore,...Read more
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Laura Belém | Plural Domains. Selected Works from The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation Collection
Museo de Arte de Zapopan - Jalisco, Mexico 23 November 2022Laura Belém participates in the collective exhibition “Plural Domains. Selected Works from The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation Collection” with the installation “Sculpture Garden II” (2011)....Read more -
Laura Belém | Enamorados
Inhotim - Brumadinho, Brazil 1 June 2022Next Saturday, May 28, Laura Belém inaugurates at Instituto Inhotim the work “Enamorated” as part of the program “Acerco em Movimento”. The artist’s work was...Read more -
Laura Belém | No Deck
Casa de Cultura do Parque - São Paulo, Brasil 11 May 2022Laura Belém opens on May 14, next Saturday, two installations at Casa de Cultura do Parque: Concerto para Cerejeiras and Jardim de Bolso, in São...Read more
1974. Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Lives and works in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Education
1999-2000
Master of Arts in Fine Arts - Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design - London, United Kingdom
1993-1996
Bachelor of Arts at Escola de Belas Artes - Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Solo Exhibitions
2019
The [...] Element - Wildbad Rothenburg Park, Germany.
2018
Por que nós olhamos a natureza num mundo conturbado - Celma Albuquerque Galeria de Arte - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2016
Short Stories - Galeria Athena Contemporânea - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2015
Island Restaurant - Casa de Baile - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Hoje Tem Cine - Sesc Palladium - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Anekdota - Capela do Morumbi - São Paulo, Brazil
2013
The Secret Garden or Passage of the Tropique - Galerie Virginie Louvet - Paris, France
2012
The Temple of a Thousand Bells - York St. Mary’s - York, United Kingdom
2011
The Other Landscape - Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil
2008
Laura Belém: Recent Works - Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil
2007
Paisagens Flutuantes, MAMAM no Pátio - Museu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães - Recife, Brazil
2006
Project: Laura Belém - Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil
2005
Ainda Outono - Centro Universitário Maria Antonia - São Paulo, Brazil
2004
Bolsa Pampulha: Four Essays on Love - Museu da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2002
Projeto Pampulha - Museu de Arte da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Group Exhibitions
2020
Conversas Diplomáticas - Galeria Celma Albuquerque - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
The Invisible Show: uma viagem sonora pelo séc. XX - Culturgest - Fundação CDG - Lisbon, Portugal
In Process - In Process Project [virtual]
Artistas se divertem - Circular: Arte na praça Adolpho Bloch - São Paulo, Brazil
Outras paisagens - Instituto Figueiredo Ferraz - Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
2019
Life is not just the practicality of things - Galeria Silvia Cintra+BOX4 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Escuta à procura de som - Consulado Geral de Portugal em São Paulo - São Paulo, Brazil
3o Ato: O Verso - Museu do Louvre Pau Brazyl - São Paulo, Brazil
2018
With the air too heavy to breath - Galeria Athena - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Desde o Apego: Memória e Gesto - Projeto Fidalga - São Paulo, Brazil
The Central Place - Galeria Central - São Paulo, Brazil
2017
Tempo Presente - Espaço Cultural Porto Seguro - São Paulo, Brazil
Permission to Speak - Galeria Athena Contemporânea - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
BienalSur: aquí, bien al Sur - MAB Centro - Ed. Lutetia - São Paulo, Brazil
2016
Transparência e Reflexo - MuBE (Museu Brasileiro de Escultura) - São Paulo, Brazil
A spear, a spike, a point, a nail, a drip, a drop, the end of the tale - Ellen de Bruijne Projects - Amsterdan, Holland
DentroFora_vol.2: Forma - Galeria Sancovsky - São Paulo, Brazil
Eort-Performance - Galeria Athena Contemporânea - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2015
Collections 10 - Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil
Procura-se - Tofiq House - São Paulo, Brazil
O Espírito de Cada Época - Instituto Figueiredo Ferraz - Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
2014
Frestas Trienal de Artes: o que seria do mundo sem as coisas que não existem - Museu da Estrada de Ferro - Sorocaba, Brazil
Limited Visibility - CAM Raleigh Contemporary Art Museum - Raleigh, U.S.A.
Cruzamentos: Contemporary Art In Brazil - Wexner Center for the Arts - Columbus, U.S.A.
Um Olhar Sobre a Coleção - Fundação Clóvis Salgado e Centro Cultural Usiminas - Ipatinga, Brazil
Conscientia: Latin American Counsciousness - The Lloyds Club - London, United Kingdom
Dogs Without Feathers - Museu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães - Recife, Brazil
140 Caracteres - Museu de Arte Moderna - São Paulo, Brazil
2013
Love and Hate to Lygia Clark - Zacheta NAtional Gallery of Art - Warsaw, Poland
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Palácio das Artes - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Museu de Arte de Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
2012
O Museu Sensível: Uma Visão da Produção de Artistas Mulheres na Coleção do MARGS - Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Instável - Paço das Artes - São Paulo, Brazil
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Palácio do Comércio - Maceió, Brazil
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Fortaleza São José de Macapá - Macapá, Brazil
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Palácio da Instrução - Cuiabá, Brazil
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Centro Cultural Usina do Gasômetro - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts - Casa França-Brasil - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Mostra SESC de Artes - SESC Ipiranga - São Paulo, Brazil
2011
Viewpoint - The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation - Miami, U.S.A.
Unresolved Circumstances: Video Art from Latin America - Museum of Latin American Art in California (MOLAA) - Long Beach, U.S.A.
Quiet Attentions: Departure from Women - Art Tower Mito Contemporary Art Center - Mito-Shi, Japan
Sismógrafo - Palácio das Artes - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Assim é, se lhe Parece - Paço das Artes - São Paulo, Brazil
2010
The More Things Change - San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts (SFMoMA) - San Francisco,U.S.A.
TOUCHED: Liverpool Biennial International 10 Exhibition - Liverpool, United Kingdom
Paralela 2010 - Liceu de Artes e Ofícios - São Paulo, Brazil
Meeting Point - Kenderdine Art Gallery - Saskatoon, Canada
Coisário: Cassino-Museu - Museu de Arte da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Livro Acervo - Paço das Artes - São Paulo, Brazil
Signo y Sintoma: Dibujo en el Campo Expandido - Ceroinspiración Arte Contemporáneo - Quito, Ecuador
2009
KURS: The Lake - Vestsjaellands Kunstmuseum - Soro, Denmark
Desenhos (Drawings): A-Z - Museu da Cidade - Lisbon, Portugal
Arte Frágil, Resistências - MAC Ibirapuera - São Paulo, Brasil
Communism of Forms - Art Gallery of York University - Toronto, Canada
Meeting Point - Doris McCarthy Gallery - Torontó, Canada
Nova Arte Nova - Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - São Paulo, Brazil
2008
Blooming: Brasil-Japão, o seu lugar - Toyata Municipal Museum of Art - Toyota Aichi, Japan
Paralela 2008: de perto e de longe - Liceu de Artes e Ofícios - São Paulo, Brazil
This is not a void - Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil
Worlds on Video - Palazzo Strozzi - Florence, Italy
Procedentes>MAP: novas aquisições - Museu de Arte da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Nova Arte Nova - Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2007
Contraditório - 30º Panorama da Arte Brasileira - Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo - São Paulo, Brazil
Iberoamérica Global: entre la globalización y el localismo - Casa da América - Madrid, Spain
Nuit Blanche - Toronto, Canada
Extra(ordinary): New Art from Brazil - York Quay Centre - Toronto, Canada
VI Bienal de Artes Visuais do Mercosul, módulo Conversas - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Desenhar é um verbo - Coleção Madeira Corporate Service - Madeira Island, Portugal
2006
Paralela 2006 - Pavilhão Armando de Arruda Pereira - São Paulo, Brazil
Geração da Virada - 10+1 - Instituto Tomie Ohtake - São Paulo, Brazil
Zoo Portfolio - Zoo Art Fair, Regent’s Park - London, United Kingdom
Situ/ação: aspectos do documentário contemporâneo - Galeria Vermelho - São Paulo, Brazil
Con los ojos del otro - Centro Cultural de Espanha - Montevideo, Uruguay
Videometry: Video as Measuring Device in Contemporary Brazilian Art - Galeria Dels Àngels - Barcelona, Spain
2005
51st Venice Biennial: Always a Little Further - Arsenale - Venice, Italy
Art Perform - Art Basel Miami Beach - Miami, U.S.A.
2004
Vol. - Galeria Vermelho - São Paulo, Brazil
Fragmentos e souvenirs paulistanos - Galeria Luisa Strina - São Paulo, Brazil
Obra colecionada 1943-2003 - Museu de Arte da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2003
I Praga Biennial – Peripheries Become the Center - Veletrzní Palác - Prague, Czech Republic
Ok Video. Jakarta Video Art Festival 2003 - Galeri Nasional Indonesia - Jakarta, Indonesia
2001-2000
Programa Rumos Visuais 1 - Instituto Itaú Cultural - São Paulo, Recife and Fortaleza, Brazil
Prizes and Residencies
2019
Art Residency Wildbad - Rothenburg, Germany
2018
Delfina Foundation. With the support of SP-Art fair - Londres, Reino Unido
2017
FAAP Residency Program - São Paulo, Brazil
2012
Bolsa Funarte de Estímulo à Produção em Artes Visuais. FUNARTE - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2011
CIFO Grants and Commissions Program, “Artistas emergentes”. The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation - Miami, U.S.A.
Marcantonio Vilaça CNI/SESI Prize for Visual Arts, 4th edition - Brazil
2010
1st and 2nd editions of the Prize “Mostras de Artistas no Exterior”. Brazilian Contemporary Art Program - Fundação Bienal de São Paulo and Ministério da Cultura do Brasil
2007
The Drake Hotel - Toronto, Canada
MAMAM no Pátio (Museu de Arte Aloisio Magalhães) - Recife, Brazil
2006
Triangle Arts Association, Brooklyn - New York, U.S.A.
2005
Casa de Velázquez - Madrid, Spain
2003
27th National Salon of Art of Belo Horizonte/Bolsa Pampulha - Museu de Arte da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Encuentro Internacional de Análisis y Desarrollo de Proyectos. TRAMA & RAIN Artists’ Initiatives Network - Mar del Plata, Argentina
1999
Bolsa Capes/CBN – Programa ApArtes
1998
Headlands Center for the Arts - Sausalito, USA
Public artworks
2019
“The [...] Element” - Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Collections
Museu de Arte da Pampulha - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Palácio das Artes - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Coleção Madeira Corporate Services - Madeira Island, Portugal
Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation - Miami, U.S.A.
Instituto Figueiredo Ferraz - Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul Ado Malagoli - Porto Alegre, Brazil
SFMoMA - San Francisco, U.S.A.
Bibliography
2020
BELÉM, Laura; GIUFRIDA, Guilherme; GOMRINGER, Nora. “The [...] Element”. Art Residency Wildbad: Germany, 2020. Catalogue
2018
“Prêmio IP Capital Partners de Arte 2018”. Rio de Janeiro. 2018. p.150-151. Catalogue
2008
Blooming: Brasil-Japão, o seu lugar. Toyota Municipal Museum of Arts. Toyota City, Japan, 2008
2007
Geração da Virada 10 + 1: os anos recentes da arte brasileira. Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, 2007
2006
PEDROSA, Adriano (org.). Desenhos [drawings]: A – Z. Coleção [Art Colection] Madeira Corporate Services. Lisboa: Soartes,
2006
Con los ojos del otro. Texto de Agnaldo Farias. Centro Cultural de España, Montevidéu, Uruguai. Exhibition Catalogue
MOURA, Rodrigo. Review: Laura Belém / Centro Universitário Maria Antonia. In: Flash Art International. V.XXXIX, n.246, January-February 2006. P.104
Future Greats 2005. In: Art Review. December/January 2006, International Edition. V.3, n.12. P.82
2005
MILLER, Earl. Review: 51st Venice Biennale. In: C-Magazine – International Contemporary Art. Issue 88, Winter 2005
OLIVA, Fernando. Crítica / Review: Laura Belém. In: Lapiz – Revista Internacional de Arte. Año XXIV, n.217, 2005, p.85
ALZUGARAY, Paula. Bienal Feminista. In: Istoé. N.1866, 20 de julho de 2005. P.90-93
Always a little further. La Biennale di Venezia 2005 – 51st International Art Exhibition. P.34-39. Exhibition Catalogue
HOFFMANN, Jens & JONAS, Jonas. Perform. London: Thames and Hudson, 2005. P.124-125
CONNOLLY, Maeve. In conversation: experience and alterity at the 51st Venice Biennale. In: Contemporary. Issue 74, Venice Biennale, 2005. P.22-24
2004
Bolsa Pampulha 2003-2004: 27o Salão Nacional de Arte de Belo Horizonte / organização Rodrigo Moura; tradução Veronica
Cordeiro e Alberto Dwek. Belo Horizonte: Museu de Arte da Pampulha, 2004
Fragmentos e souvenirs paulistanos. Adriano Pedrosa (org.). São Paulo: Galeria Luisa Strina, 2004. Exhibition Catalogue
The Next Documenta should be curated by an artitst. Jens Homann (ed.). Frankfurt: Revolver Archiv für aktuelle Kunst, 2004. P.16-17
2003
Prague Biennale 1: peripheries become the center. Milão: Ottavio Capriolo, 2003. P.130-133. Exhibition Catalogue
MOURA, Rodrigo. Beyond sculpture: new perspectives on space in Brazil. In: Flash Art International. V.36, n.230, May-June 2003. P.118-121
OK Video. Jakarta Video Art Festival 2003. Jakarta: Ruangrupa, 2003. P.90 e 106. Festival Catalogue
2002
Projeto Pampulha. Texto de Adriano Pedrosa e Rodrigo Moura. Belo Horizonte: Museu de Arte da Pampulha, 2002. ExhibitionCatalogue
2001
Catálogo da exposição coletiva na Celma Albuquerque Galeria de Arte. Texto de Lisette Lagnado. Belo Horizonte: Celma Albuquerque Galeria de Arte, 1999.