Felipe de Ávila Franco on bio-politics & environmental aesthetics

What does it mean to belong to a contaminated world? How does the relationship between our modern society and the natural environment depend on each other? Our current artist-in-residence at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), Brazilian visual artist Felipe de Ávila Franco, investigates questions like these through a lens of bio-politics and environmental aesthetics in his art.

Through the combination of traditional and experimental techniques, his works incorporate industrial residues and other materials such as constructive debris, petrochemical derivatives, and contaminated soil collected from regions of large-scale industrial activity or where environmental disasters have been reported. His artistic process allows him to transfigure these materials into sculptures, ceramic objects, and multimedia installations.

We sat down with Felipe at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) studio in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to learn more. Felipe has been based in Helsinki, Finland, since 2013 but came here to experience operating in a city like New York. 

“I wanted to experience the challenges, the contrasts, the multicultural aspects, the urban chaos, the human beauty, and the aesthetic nuances of the city. I wanted to see how I could integrate all these new perspectives into my research to check how it resonates with my process. It’s the first time I’ve been able to investigate topics related to environmental contamination in a place where the lines between industrial society and environmental contamination are so blurred. It’s not so much just an isolated incident or place of contamination here, the perspectives are mixed together”, he says.

Regarding the expectations he had before coming to the residency, Felipe also adds:

“I was aware it would be very different from what I had in mind and sometimes not so easy. New York is a constant surprise. It has a very particular dynamic and requires a certain amount of time and expertise to get used to the timing and logistics of it. That includes the development of an artistic investigation. 

An artist’s role in the socio-environmental issues of our time

Grounded on concepts of materiality, Felipe describes his work as dedicated to translating the industrial dystopia of our current times. But he also points out that it can be risky to look at art through the lens of what function it has or which problems it solves:

“It is very genuine to wish that art could solve problems, but I don’t think that’s how art should be seen or approached. Art and artists can greatly affect the world, producing new perspectives and expanding our possibilities in life and society, changing how we relate to the world and the environment. But those are effects of our role as artists, not our actual roles. If we evaluate art based on these effects, we will distort the sector and place a function in art. We would be wrongly promoting the instrumentalization of art if we put the responsibility of solving socio-environmental issues on art and artists when the responsibility lies within all of us, regardless of your profession or field of approach.”

So what is the role of an artist and their art in these industrial, dystopian times? Felipe’s artistic process addresses art as a mechanism to awaken new perspectives of knowledge, establishing interdisciplinary links between humanities, natural sciences, and ancient cosmologies. His work aims to evoke art as a means to activate a deeper discussion on the conflicting relationship between human society and the natural environment, highlighting those as interdependent entities.

“Our role is to ask rigorous questions, do our research, and share the results. That is what inspires me, to spark important or difficult questions and discussions”, Felipe tells us.

Welcoming unexpected twists and turns

When asked if he has had the opportunity to go outside of his comfort zone since he got to New York, Felipe laughs gently and says:

“I am not sure if having a comfort zone in New York is even possible. The city brings you so much stimulation and so many challenges all the time. It’s pulsating, and you need to enter that rhythm. Otherwise, you will not fully experience what New York can offer. I’ve definitely been shaken out of my comfort zone since I came here. This new environment has pushed me to change certain aspects of my research plan and methods, but I’m glad to be able to experience that and see the unexpected become a part of my new plan. I can already see that it will actually benefit the essence of the project.”

Highlighting the experimental nature of his process, Felipe explains that he welcomes a switch of expectations. It allows him to see possibilities that were concealed at the beginning of the process.

Finding inspiration in community and artificial intelligence

New York’s unpredictable weather has played a crucial role in the change of Felipe’s research plan. His research process usually requires him to spend long periods of time outdoors, visiting specific sites, documenting, and collecting samples and materials. This is better suited to do in warmer weather, further into spring.

While waiting for the warmer season, Felipe is now dedicating his time to experimenting with new possible approaches to implementing artificial intelligence into the development of his artistic process. He has found support from a collective of technology experts dedicated to investigating a critical view on the implications of artificial intelligence in the arts. Although the collaboration is still in its early stages of conceptual development, the plan is to incorporate different aspects of all the practices involved. Through notions of environmental aesthetics, socio-environmental concerns, and materiality; audio, imagery, and writing will be combined with artificial intelligence to explore sculpture “beyond the expanded field.” Felipe also adds that rigorously keeping a critical eye on all the ethical implications regarding the use of this technology is always kept in mind.

“In addition to so many other great things going on, this collaboration is especially inspiring to me right now. Last year, when I first came in contact with the collective regarding collaborating on an exhibition, I was already starting my own research and experiments with this kind of technology. It feels like a sign, as if I am on the right track and this is the right moment to follow ahead with this part of the research, Felipe says.

When asked more about his current inspirations, Felipe also mentions the ISCP residency program:

“I have been so lucky to have found an amazing community here at the ISCP who are very supportive. It’s not only the staff and the management of the program who are supportive, but the other participants as well. It’s very encouraging to find people with such a high level of commitment to their work, who still find time to exchange experiences, discuss our practices and what they have in common, and even how we could collaborate.” 

Felipe explains that with his collaborations in Finland and Brazil, those moments of connection have happened over time there too, but at the ISCP program, they occur more often due to the dynamics and visibility given by the program. 

“I don’t know if it’s something about New York specifically, that people are really eager to make things happen here, but it feels very genuine. I think we as artists often miss human contact with other people in the same situation - we have a deep wish to create something new, but with so many options and possibilities, it is sometimes hard to know which direction to go. Finding someone who can talk to you on a personal and professional level at the same time is very reassuring. You don’t have to choose between a more professional or personal approach when sharing impressions, discussing ideas and future possibilities”, Felipe explains.

What the future holds

As for the time he has left at his residency in New York, Felipe still has places left to explore. For example, he mentions Greenpoint in Brooklyn, where one of the largest oil spills ever recorded in the US happened in the 70s. Felipe also notes that part of his research here will be integrated into the work presented in upcoming exhibitions. To mention a few, in September, he has an exhibition at Porvoo Art Hall in Porvoo, Finland, and in 2024 he will have an exhibition at Galleria Sculptor in Helsinki. But Felipe also has other, more long-term plans:

“I would like to reconnect a bit more with the art scene in Brazil. I am now negotiating to reconnect with some institutions, artists, and cultural agents I have previously worked with there. One of my main wishes is to bring what I have been able to achieve in Finland to present in Brazil, learn from it, and help strengthen the bond between these two nations that I appreciate so much. I am already working on it, but the intercontinental logistics are quite complicated, so I’ll be happy if these plans become a reality within the next few years,” he adds.

Find out more about Felipe, his work, and his future endeavors on his website, his instagram, and on FCINY’s socials.

By: Nela Silfverberg

Photography: Laura Koskela