CALATI JUNCU CA PASSA LA CHINA
exhibited at: NEVERNEVERLAND, Amsterdam, NL.
WeesperNieuws article
Kunst Krant article
Calati Juncu Ca Passa La China
2024
"Stoop down, reed, until the flood passes away." This Sicilian saying is not merely the title but
the thread that weaves through Rebecca Cuschera's exhibition Calati Juncu Ca Passa La
China. The exhibition induces feelings of resilience, adaptability and leaves us wondering:
When do we bend to forces beyond our control, when do we stand firm, even at the risk of
breaking?
Rebecca’s sculptures are reminiscent of structures in Amsterdam and Venice. Just as the historic buildings in these cities are built on poles that hold them above shifting waters, her work captures the tension between fragility and resilience. They are an echo of structures that have persisted through time. The poles in her works are symbols of movement and possibility. Just like legs, they suggest a step forward, to grow and to adapt. Yet, at the same time, they do carry a sense of fragility - just as legs they can falter, the poles hint at the precariousness of the structures they hold up, much like the vulnerable societies we live in. The use of the contrasting materials wool and metal reflect the tension between strength and flexibility. The interplay of these materials mirror the complexities of human existence, where bending and resisting, yielding and standing firm, coexist within us. Just as the sculptures embody this duality, so do we, bending without breaking, adapting to pressures yet holding on to our own existence, our own core. It is through this balance of forces that we navigate through life, embracing that being flexible is necessary to survive.
The wool, dyed using natural pigments in collaboration with Sophie Dandanell, evokes a connection to place and time, grounding the work in its environment as the reed is gathered from Rebecca’s neighbourhood.
Rebecca’s work is known to work with space. The angle of the space at neverneverland becomes both an ending and starting point - a place where the past is left behind, and where new beginnings may emerge. It invites you in, drawing your focus, creating a sense of openness, and inviting you out. Rebecca’s body becomes an essential part of the dialogue with the space, as the high sculpture is twice her height, serving as a contrast to its scale, highlighting how individuals relate to the spaces they inhabit.
The abstract practice of Rebecca’s work, that is inspired from gleaning discarded materials, captures an ongoing transformation of urban and social spaces. Her works are always in conversation with each other; they evolve, much like the cities she draws inspiration from, growing and adapting over time. This cycle mirrors the ebb and flow of resilience in a world in which we face constant turbulence. Just as the reed survives the flood by yielding to it, her sculptures navigate urban and social spaces, adapting while standing firm in their essence. Rebecca Cuschera's use of architecture, textile and natural forces, and her philosophical reflections on space and materiality all lead to an open question: how do we inhibit spaces in a world where the ground beneath us is constantly shifting?
This exhibition is an invitation to keep strong even if bended. The works in the exhibition are allowing one for reflection, slowing down, considering the forces at play in our lives. Just as the reed bends with the wind but does not break, we too are asked to consider how exactly we move through life. Calati Juncu Ca Passa La China?!?
Curatorial text for written by Gemma Nijhuis.
The works of these series are made of metal, naturally dyed and wool and found objects.
Rebecca’s sculptures are reminiscent of structures in Amsterdam and Venice. Just as the historic buildings in these cities are built on poles that hold them above shifting waters, her work captures the tension between fragility and resilience. They are an echo of structures that have persisted through time. The poles in her works are symbols of movement and possibility. Just like legs, they suggest a step forward, to grow and to adapt. Yet, at the same time, they do carry a sense of fragility - just as legs they can falter, the poles hint at the precariousness of the structures they hold up, much like the vulnerable societies we live in. The use of the contrasting materials wool and metal reflect the tension between strength and flexibility. The interplay of these materials mirror the complexities of human existence, where bending and resisting, yielding and standing firm, coexist within us. Just as the sculptures embody this duality, so do we, bending without breaking, adapting to pressures yet holding on to our own existence, our own core. It is through this balance of forces that we navigate through life, embracing that being flexible is necessary to survive.
The wool, dyed using natural pigments in collaboration with Sophie Dandanell, evokes a connection to place and time, grounding the work in its environment as the reed is gathered from Rebecca’s neighbourhood.
Rebecca’s work is known to work with space. The angle of the space at neverneverland becomes both an ending and starting point - a place where the past is left behind, and where new beginnings may emerge. It invites you in, drawing your focus, creating a sense of openness, and inviting you out. Rebecca’s body becomes an essential part of the dialogue with the space, as the high sculpture is twice her height, serving as a contrast to its scale, highlighting how individuals relate to the spaces they inhabit.
The abstract practice of Rebecca’s work, that is inspired from gleaning discarded materials, captures an ongoing transformation of urban and social spaces. Her works are always in conversation with each other; they evolve, much like the cities she draws inspiration from, growing and adapting over time. This cycle mirrors the ebb and flow of resilience in a world in which we face constant turbulence. Just as the reed survives the flood by yielding to it, her sculptures navigate urban and social spaces, adapting while standing firm in their essence. Rebecca Cuschera's use of architecture, textile and natural forces, and her philosophical reflections on space and materiality all lead to an open question: how do we inhibit spaces in a world where the ground beneath us is constantly shifting?
This exhibition is an invitation to keep strong even if bended. The works in the exhibition are allowing one for reflection, slowing down, considering the forces at play in our lives. Just as the reed bends with the wind but does not break, we too are asked to consider how exactly we move through life. Calati Juncu Ca Passa La China?!?
Curatorial text for written by Gemma Nijhuis.
The works of these series are made of metal, naturally dyed and wool and found objects.