Floating Islands

A collaborative exhibition between Cologne and Porto

André Covas, Carmo Osul, Dennis Freischlad, Hugo Soares, João Gigante, Linda Nadji, Paul Leo, Peter Schloss, Reis Valdrez, Yvonne Klasen

Opening Saturday, 1st of August at 17pm - In exhibition until September 12

A group of floating islands form an archipelago without fixed formation. The islands are subject to currents and winds, gripping their contours above or below water, so one day they might be a stone’s throw from another, far apart on the next. Travel times between them are unpredictable, routes swerving and twisting.

However, ideas move between them like merchant ships. Some never reach their destination, get sucked away by some current and disappear behind the curved horizon. Those who reach the shore undergo immigrations procedures. Like on Ellis Island, names are misunderstood, transposed into a language alien to their native sound. Some ideas are quarantined for an indefinite amount of time.

But some ideas overcome these obstacles, and once they have become successful on a couple of islands, they are warmly welcomed to others, sneak onto the remaining ones on some contrabandist’s ship in the small hours. Alliances between islands are formed, attempts are made to build a federation.

On some days, when the islands drift close enough, votes are being cast and laws are being passed together. Thick ropes are being thrown from one isle to the next and for a certain amount of time the islands form a precarious raft.

Floating Islands is a project promoted by Saco Azul Associação Cultural in partnership with Maus Hábitos, Cooperativa Árvore and Quinta da Mestra, with the support of DGARTES and the Porto City Hall.