artnexus #14

Carlo s Capelan is an Uruguayan who has lived in Sweden for almost twenty years, since the time when, like many of his compatriots, he went into exile. His work chronicles the ambivalence of being part of several cultures and his work revolves around the dismantling of hegemonic models. As a citizen of a country in which migration has played such an important role, Capelan is fully aware of cultural diversity. Hence the relationship between the center and the periphery which is a constant feature of his installations, where the multiplicity of cultural contexts leads to an interelationship of experiences and situations and the compatibility of apparent contradictions. The artist himself maintains that the existence of various ethnic groups in the major power centers has led to a regeneration of attempts by the "internal" periphery to establish a dialogue with the "external" periphery. It is a new situation in which Latin Americans in Europe are proposing new interpretations of reality... (*).

These aspects are all reflected in the work which Capelan has presented at various events, such as the recent Havana Biennial and the Ante America show, a traveling exhibition which is now ending its long journey in Costa Rica, where Capelan has done a special installation for the event. His images are created with various objects and materials: earth, ash, books, gestual painting, drawings with selfportraits, and complemented by the views which he has expressed in various fora, like the round table held at the ART NEXUS / Arte en Colombia offices during the symposium marking the presentation of Ante America in Bogota (see the article on page 48).

IVONNE PINI