ARCHIVE EVENT 07.
14.02.2023
LOCATION: MOLT, Tempelhofer Ufer 1A, BERLIN
FORMAT: Exhibition, performance, live-set
CURATOR: ADRIAN ALARCON SANCHEZ
ARTISTS:
| Gexbyby |
| Adrian Alarcon |
| Blumenatrix |
| RAYNE |
| Sinnasinner |
WORDS by ADRIAN ALARCON SANCHEZ
LOVE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CENTRAL TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR MANKIND, TO WHICH AUTHORS, ARTISTS, SCIENTISTS, OR JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO ATTRIBUTE A MEANING, TO GIVE IT A REPRESENTATION THAT WOULD EXPLAIN IT IN WHOLE OR AT LEAST IN PART. FROM THE OVERWHELMING LOVE OF CUPID TO FREUD'S LOVE AS A SEX DRIVE, VIA SCIENTIFIC LOVE AS THE CHEMICAL PROCESS OF RELEASING THE OXYTOCIN HORMONE, THE NOBLEST OF FEELINGS TAKES AS MANY FORMS AS THERE ARE DISCIPLINES AND INDIVIDUALS LOOKING AT IT.
IN CONTEMPORARY WESTERN SOCIETY THE REPRESENTATION OF LOVE THAT DOMINATES THE MAINSTREAM NARRATIVE IS THE ROMANTIC, OFTEN HETEROSEXUAL AND MONOGAMOUS KIND. WITH “LOVE.”, BERLIN-BASED SPANISH QUEER PHOTOGRAPHER ADRIÁN ALARCÓN SÁNCHEZ PORTRAYS AND UPLIFTS DIFFERENT TYPES OF LOVE THAT ARE FAR FROM THE CLASSICAL HETERONORMATIVE REPRESENTATION, WHICH GENERALLY FOCUSES ON A SPECIFIC SORT OF LOVING COUPLES THAT SOCIETY PROPELS AS DESIRABLE.
THE ZINE IS OPENED BY A SPECIAL INTRODUCTION: “A LOT OF US WERE TOLD WE WOULD NEVER KNOW LOVE. SOME OF US BELIEVED IT, INTERNALIZED IT, EVEN WEAPONIZED IT AGAINST OURSELVES. BUT IT WAS A LIE, OR AT LEAST A MISTAKE”. WITH THESE WORDS, PART OF A LETTER TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER, PROFESSOR ELIN MCCREADY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE AT THE AOYAMA GAKUIN UNIVERSITY IN TOKYO CONDENSES THE MEANING OF THE PROJECT.
LAUNCHING WITH A PHOTO EXHIBITION AT MOLT GALLERY ON FEBRUARY 14TH 2023, THE SELF-PUBLISHED ZINE COLLECTS A SELECTION OF ANALOGUE PICTURES TAKEN IN BERLIN OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS IN INTIMATE AND RELAXED SITUATIONS, IN WHICH THE SUBJECTS ARE NOT ASKED TO POSE BUT RATHER TO LET THEMSELVES GO IN THE EXPRESSION OF THEIR LOVE AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER.
THE SUBJECTS ARE FRIENDS, LOVERS, ACQUAINTANCES AND MANY OTHER EMBODIMENTS OF WHAT LOVE CAN BE: LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR FAMILY, FOR OUR FRIENDS, THE LOVE THAT BINDS RELATIONSHIP PATTERNS DIFFERENT FROM THE CANONICAL ONES, THE LOVE FOR OURSELVES.
LOVE. BY ADRIÁN ALARCÓN SÁNCHEZ