Clay Apenouvon & Vincent Rosenblatt

RESILIENT MOVES

Vincent Rosenblatt has long photographed Baile Funk parties in the favelas and suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Funk Carioca is the rhythm at the base of Rio's youth, especially those from working-class neighborhoods. These places, traditionally "forbidden" from photography because they are stigmatized by the authorities and the media, are constantly threatened by state violence. Between explosive bass, dance is expression and resistance. Vincent Rosenblatt captures in the movements of the crowd, the vital energy and the desires revealing the thirst for freedom that drives his subjects. He shows the diversity of the participants and makes each of them the icons of a night. Since 2005, he has worked with DJs, MCs and dancers who bring him into the bailes and receive his images.

Clay Apenouvon explores topics related to environmental and societal issues, through works that reflect a number of concerns. For this collaboration, he calls upon famous icons, black boxers, figures of hope and determination in fights refereed by their own conscience. Clay Apenouvon presents screen prints of Mohamed Ali and Battling Siki, in black ink on survival blankets. Their bodies cover these golden leaves: the gold of survivors. The representation of these fighting figures, alone, illustrates a personal struggle and their perseverance in the face of difficulties. The artist highlights the resilience of these black athletes and recalls, in his words, that it was the external fights that pushed them into the ring.

The exhibition explores the theme of resistance through boxing and Bailes Funk, expressed through the expression of bodies in movement. The boxers' screen prints remind us of the resilience of the body under the pressure of blows. The dancers photographed express the vitality and energy of a youth filled with desires and hope. Together, they embody struggles for freedom despite the obstacles, including the social and cultural oppressions they face. Their struggles are daily struggles to be heard, to claim their place and to obtain the recognition they deserve. This exhibition explores the forces and desires that run through bodies and the rhythmic expression of invisible struggles.