Film Screening: Body House
BODY HOUSE, WITH BRUNO VINHAS & VALENTINA GAIA LOPS
March 3, 6-8 PM
Art as a Tool for Change Symposium
In-person, 72 Harbour Drive
Body House is a collaboration between St. John’s-based textile design – theatre artist Bruno Vinhas and Italian visual and dance artist Valentina Gaia-Lops to create a multidisciplinary installation that draws from dance, text, photography, video and textile art in its storytelling. Weaving together a series of autobiographical accounts of people’s relationships with their own bodies, Body House takes its inspiration from one of Valentina’s photography projects, Amor Proprio, and asks the question: Is it selfish to love oneself?
Photos by Aidan Devereaux
Bruno Vinhas – Brazilian by birth, Bruno Vinhas is passionate about global craft culture which drove his will to work in a gallery environment. He is a queer-identified textile artist, curator and has worked as a theatre director in his home city in Brazil. A degree in Tourism and Hospitality has provided Vinhas with the experience of living and working in multiple countries and being immersed in different cultures changed his perspective about art and craft. Apart from his personal practice, Vinhas has been working as the Craft Council of Newfoundland’s Gallery Director/Curator since August 2018 in which he focuses on accessibility and inclusion in public art spaces.
Valentina Gaia-Lops – Valentina Gaia Lops is a dancer and visual artist and queer feminist activist. Her work mainly centers on community, participatory projects and art activism. In December 2020, Valentina was awarded the prize ‘I am amnesty’ by Amnesty International Ireland for furthering the cause of human rights and facing injustice using her talents to inspire others. Influenced by her studies of contemporary dance and composition, her photography work is characterized by a unique use of movement as well as an intimate diaristic / documentary style. She collaborates with grassroots collectives and activism groups internationally.
This project has been awarded the 9th Annual Roberta Thomas Legacy Award by Neighborhood Dance Works in March 2021 and it counts with the support of many volunteers through interviews and partnerships. Both collaborators are eternally grateful for them!
Art as a Tool for Change is supported in part by the Canadian Artist Presentation Fund.
Ce projet est financé par le gouvernement du Canada
