This striking black and white photograph depicts a pensive, youthful face gazing contemplatively at a human skull reflected in the still water. The high-contrast image emphasizes the chiaroscuro lighting, creating a dramatic, almost haunting effect. The somber mood and juxtaposition of the living and the dead evoke themes of mortality and the fragility of human existence. The artistic style and stark, minimalist composition suggest the photographer's intent to provoke deep reflection on the human condition. ...
Carlos Motta moves fluidly between photography, drawing, moving image and installation. His multi-media practice records the social and political conditions of ethnic minorities, and how factors such as gender and sexuality intersect with these experiences. Often working with archival material, Motta is keen to share untold narratives and to shift the representation of post-colonial communities. In past projects Motta has examined the social intricacies of the AIDs crisis and undertaken extensive research into US interventionist policies in Latin America. He continues to unpick contemporary social realities in his projects today. His installations frequently combine a wide plethora of mediums, with archival material sitting in conversation with emotionally stirring photography and moving image. The in-depth experience of an individual is consistently prioritised by Motta, offering a deeply personal, emotive counterpoint to data or historical records. Motta also engages with more communal modes of artmaking, such as convening symposiums or durationally developing web-based projects. ...
Established in Paris since 2010, mor charpentier represents both emerging and well-established artists whose conceptual practices are anchored in social realities, history and the politics of contrasting geographic regions. By promoting international practices, the gallery aims to broaden the knowledge of crucial debates of the present. A significant inaugural show with Colombian master, Oscar Muñoz, fulfilled a void in the French artistic scene by broadening the spectrum of origins, subjects and identities in the art market. Ever since, a growing number of major international artists have joined the gallery. Coming from different generations and global backgrounds, they all share a commitment to either political, feminist, post-colonial, queer or human rights causes. Amongst them are Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Teresa Margolles, Chen Ching-Yuan, Liliana Porter, Bouchra Khalili, Carlos Motta, Hajra Waheed, and more. Equal gender representation and diversity is also part of the gallery goals, with half of the represented artists being women. In 2021 mor charpentier opened a second exhibition space in Bogotá. This expansion was driven to expand the reach of the gallery program to new publics and encourage artists to explore new territories. It consolidated a long-term bond with the Latin American art scene and the international projection of the gallery. ...
