NATARAZ by Felix Vong
15 Agosto a 21 Setembro
Felix Vong | NATARAZ
15 August – 21 September 2024
"Artist-run spaces fit all kinds of models. They are testing grounds and springboards to the commercial art world, intimate gatherings in apartments, and places for reading groups and shared meals. They are little pockets of activity that serve particular audiences at particular times, filling gaps and holes for all that the art-world fails to provide."
«Making-do: a pragmatist approach», from «Artist-run Chicago Digest», threewalls/Green Lantern press (2009)"I claimed the space and presented it as a work of art. It was a readymade installation, a piece of real life that became art in the context of an art museum."
«Tom Marioni, Museum of Conceptual Art (MOCA)» by Gabriele Detterer & Maurizio Nannucci, from «Artist-Run Spaces», JRP Editions (2012)
«Tom Marioni, Museum of Conceptual Art (MOCA)» by Gabriele Detterer & Maurizio Nannucci, from «Artist-Run Spaces», JRP Editions (2012)
We are thrilled to present NATARAZ, the first solo exhibition of Felix Vong in Portugal.
In recent years, he has developed a path of citing and ironically imitating not only the artwork of national and international artists, but also the main entities and actors that compose the art system. In this sense, last year he perpetuated a series of artistic operations: he create a public simulation of an artist's studio in the group show “Adjuntamento Cultural Olisiponense”, curated by João Viotti; he presented his first solo show in Macau, which consisted in the recreation of an art museum; he created a fake art fair titled “Drowning Room”, imitating the more known “Drawing Room” in Lisbon. Conceptually to continue this act, this exhibition is referred to as a simulation of an artist-run space - Zaratan.
In recent years, he has developed a path of citing and ironically imitating not only the artwork of national and international artists, but also the main entities and actors that compose the art system. In this sense, last year he perpetuated a series of artistic operations: he create a public simulation of an artist's studio in the group show “Adjuntamento Cultural Olisiponense”, curated by João Viotti; he presented his first solo show in Macau, which consisted in the recreation of an art museum; he created a fake art fair titled “Drowning Room”, imitating the more known “Drawing Room” in Lisbon. Conceptually to continue this act, this exhibition is referred to as a simulation of an artist-run space - Zaratan.
The name of Zaratan is based on an imaginary animal: a huge sea turtle floating above the ocean and being asleep, from time to time other beings confused this creature for an island in the middle of the sea. Humans and animals started to live there, to build their home, to hunt, to create a society, and so on.
At the verge of welcoming the tenth years of its existence in Lisbon, Zaratan meets its reverse spelling NATARAZ, which is also an imaginary animal, its sister (or brother), who only appears every 10 years walking backward to reflect and retrospectively explore the passage of time.
At the verge of welcoming the tenth years of its existence in Lisbon, Zaratan meets its reverse spelling NATARAZ, which is also an imaginary animal, its sister (or brother), who only appears every 10 years walking backward to reflect and retrospectively explore the passage of time.
Felix Vong has been working with Zaratan since 2021, not only collaborating artistically in various formats and contexts, but also assuming the role of space assistant. NATARAZ comes up from this daily experience and serves as a platform for critical reflection, documentation, and celebration of artist-run spaces.
Since 2014, Zaratan has shown about 50 solo exhibitions. NATARAZ will quote some of them, taking ideas from the exhibitions, or from a single piece to reimagine the past.
The artists involved in this game of references Ana Pessoa, António Olaio, Bárbara Bulhão, Carlos Gaspar, Cristina Motta, Fabio Colaço, Filipe Vilas-Boas Isobel Atacus, João Mouro, Lea Managil, Miguel Palma, Nuno Viegas, primeira desordem, Sara Mealha, Sara & André, Susana Borges, Vasco Costa and other anonymous artists.
In this citation process, Felix Vong uses copies, remake, appropriation, d'après, subtle references, incorporating different mediums and experimenting various ways to access the answer of the artist's question.
Other works presented in the exhibition conduct a meta-investigation about Zaratan itself: through anecdotes and objects, stories emerge that provide a glimpse into its sustainability strategies and modus operandi.
Since 2014, Zaratan has shown about 50 solo exhibitions. NATARAZ will quote some of them, taking ideas from the exhibitions, or from a single piece to reimagine the past.
The artists involved in this game of references Ana Pessoa, António Olaio, Bárbara Bulhão, Carlos Gaspar, Cristina Motta, Fabio Colaço, Filipe Vilas-Boas Isobel Atacus, João Mouro, Lea Managil, Miguel Palma, Nuno Viegas, primeira desordem, Sara Mealha, Sara & André, Susana Borges, Vasco Costa and other anonymous artists.
In this citation process, Felix Vong uses copies, remake, appropriation, d'après, subtle references, incorporating different mediums and experimenting various ways to access the answer of the artist's question.
Other works presented in the exhibition conduct a meta-investigation about Zaratan itself: through anecdotes and objects, stories emerge that provide a glimpse into its sustainability strategies and modus operandi.
This project is a tribute dedicated to the artist-run spaces and the artists.
BIO: FELIX VONG (Macau, 1989) obtained a degree in graphic design and advertising. He currently works and lives in Lisbon, where he attended a Master degree in Multimedia at FBAUL. Felix’s body of work encompasses painting, drawing, institutional art critic, illustration, performance and photography. He is interested in the impact of imitation, appropriation, vandalism, mocking, dark humour and hoaxes in between the fake and the real. Felix Vong playfully critique art and art criticism, as well as other kinds of issues that are made to look trivial and ridiculous.
He is a member of Zaratan artist-run space, where he shares his artistic /philosophical quests within the mimetic function of a gallery employee. He has been regularly exhibiting his works since 2021, presenting a solo exhibition “The First Contemporary Art Museum of Macau” (Taipa Village Gallery, Macau, 2023), and joining various collective exhibtions, such as: “Gémeos Falsos” (Appleton, Lisboa, 2023), “Pedra Papel ou Tesoura” (Alfaia, Loulé, 2023), “HAMMER TIME” (Zaratan, 2021, 2022, 2023). In 2023, he created the happening project “DROWNING ROOM” (Cosmos, Lisbon).
He is a member of Zaratan artist-run space, where he shares his artistic /philosophical quests within the mimetic function of a gallery employee. He has been regularly exhibiting his works since 2021, presenting a solo exhibition “The First Contemporary Art Museum of Macau” (Taipa Village Gallery, Macau, 2023), and joining various collective exhibtions, such as: “Gémeos Falsos” (Appleton, Lisboa, 2023), “Pedra Papel ou Tesoura” (Alfaia, Loulé, 2023), “HAMMER TIME” (Zaratan, 2021, 2022, 2023). In 2023, he created the happening project “DROWNING ROOM” (Cosmos, Lisbon).
OPEN | Thu-Sun, 16:00-20:00
GUIDED TOUR | 7 September, 17:00
SUPPORT | República Portuguesa – Cultura / Direção-Geral das Artes
GUIDED TOUR | 7 September, 17:00
SUPPORT | República Portuguesa – Cultura / Direção-Geral das Artes