‣DREI VRAGEN AN TAINÁ GUEDES

You’ve been in Chemnitz (travelling) for a few weeks now:
What are your impressions of the city? Did you notice anything in particular? Why? What differences do you see compared to your home city of Berlin, for example?

Tainá: “I’m happy to see so many gardening initiatives and people who want to build a more sustainable, inclusive and harmonious society. I have met people from different backgrounds living in the city and they are all so strong and inspiring – from the Haus der Kulturen, to the Lila Villa and its international community, to all Germans and locals. I hadn’t expected a city with so much space and large avenues. I like that, as a symbolic image. Creation needs space. Change needs space. So when I think about these two things (the space in the city and these people I met), I think that the perhaps prevailing negative image of the city can be changed for the better.

The work that Klub Solitaer e.V. is doing with Dialogue Fields is one of the key projects on this path to change. The idea of bringing together six artists from outside the city to work with the local community and encourage thinking about public spaces is a powerful tool to bring people together for positive change.
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Compared to Berlin, I see similarities in the garden initiatives and the growing number of young people who are willing to have a “small garden” that brings more sustainable ideas and the goal of making cities greener.”

As part of the 2020 Von Sinnen dialogue fields, you are focusing on the sense of taste: are there any impressions that you draw from the Sonnenberg in particular? What are they specifically? How are these reflected in your work?

Tainá: “I think the district and its neighbourhood are very beautiful. I like the view of the city from the “top” of the Sonnenberg. Sometimes a mysterious fog covers parts of the buildings at sunset. The view of the rooftops is breathtaking. My favourite grocery shop in the city “Peacefood” is located here – my strongest connection to food here. They have a good selection of ingredients and the diversity is visible, tasty and you can understand through the sense of taste the importance of preserving diversity on our planet. Flavour is one of the most compelling senses we have. I think it’s the sense we trust and understand the most.”

Can you give us a little preview of the work that will be created? What can visitors to the presentation week from 12 to 18 December look forward to?

Tainá: “I’m working on an installation consisting of seven large prints (3.5m x 2m) and seven videos, in collaboration with people from Chemnitz from different backgrounds. The installation uses the self to unpack concepts that reflect identity and symbolism. The individuals or so-called “entities” depicted on the prints act as a surface to sensitise comments on issues related to diversity. The visual embodiment of food unfolds personal and collective identity, and connections between elements and areas that have been a theme since the dawn of humanity.”