Paloma Polo exhibition at De Ateliers

Coinciding with the Amsterdam Art Weekend, De Ateliers in collaboration TAAK proudly presents: the first exhibition of Paloma Polo in the Netherlands. Under the title ‘Unrest’, Paloma Polo presents a body of works resulting from a two-year research undertaking in the Philippines, which reflected on themes of social change and emancipatory politics.

‘Unrest’ explores themes of exploitation and expropriation in relation to the economic development program Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO). Polo conducted a thorough study of this concrete land acquisition conflict, a paradigm of what is touted by governments as ‘economic development programs’. Polo: “The grotesque disparity between development and dispossession mirrors the contradictions of moribund monopoly capital, which shapes at once dominant forms of social existence and the contemporary social fabric.” The artist engaged a varied range of activists, radical political thinkers, peasant and indigenous leaders and communities, and scholars from various disciplines to thresh out a critique of capitalism and advance alternatives derived from social revolutionary struggles in the Philippines.

Alongside the film, a photographic work is presented. Initially concerning the simple preservation of indigenous culture in tension with modern science, this botanical research project confronts the very presuppositions of knowledge itself. Alongside, a publication is presented, featuring a conversation with Radha D’Souza, a social justice activist and theorist who has collaborated with Polo on the film.

About the artist

Paloma Polo (b. 1983, Madrid) was a participant at De Ateliers from 2007 till 2009. In recent years, she has emerged as one of the most prominent Spanish artists of her generation. Paloma Polo had a solo show at Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid, 2012) and participated in ‘The Encyclopedic Palace’ in the 55th Venice Biennial (2013). She had exhibitions at Kurimanzutto (Mexico, 2012), Umberto di Marino (Naples, 2013) and Parra-Romero (Madrid, 2015). This exhibition is a continuation of 'The Ultraperipheric'.

Artist Talk

On Sunday November 29th, 11am - 1pm, a screening of the film is followed by an artist talk by

• Paloma Polo
• Lara Almarcegui (artist)
• Louie Jalandoni (National Democratic Front of the Philippines NDFP)
• Coni Ledesma (women’s rights activist)
• Julieta de Lima (economist)
• Professor Jose Maria Sison (political activist, poet)
• Theo Tegelaers (TAAK).

RSVP office@de-ateliers.nl.

Paloma Polo, ‘Unrest’
Festive opening: Friday November 27th, 5 - 8pm
Exhibition: November 27th – December 12th, 2015
Open Wed - Sat, 1 - 6pm

During Amsterdam Art Weekend open from 11am - 7pm

De Ateliers
Stadhouderskade 86
1073 AT Amsterdam
www.de-ateliers.nl