moradavaga designs periscope-like installation for bienal de arte contemporânea da maia

based on the curatorial concept of the bienal de arte contemporânea da maia 2017’s architecture program devised by andreia garcia, ‘unlimited shape’, moradavaga developed an installation that could meet the motto of an ‘unlimited exploration of form in a dialogical context between art and architecture, experience and appropriation, process and dissemination’. in this framework, ‘focus’ acts as a disruptive artistic gesture that introduces a colorful object in an otherwise neutral and almost monochromatic environment, signaling in an unusual and somewhat intriguing manner the entrance to the municipality’s cultural center.

‘focus’ is a horizontal periscope located at the fórum da maia in portugal

it appropriates an industrial component, the HVAC duct, and gives it a functional twist by painting it red and assembling a 14,4 meters long tubular structure on metal stilts with seven openings that allow for the same number of game-like scrambled perspectives of its surroundings, capable of extending views beyond the object’s dimensional limits and reaching further through a set of mirrors implanted within its body. by doing so, italian and portuguese based collective moradavaga‘s intention is to give an interactive and playful purpose to the piece and question the representational aspect of public art, instilling new meanings into it and proposing different ways of appropriating and dialoguing with the urban territory at hand.

‘focus’ acts as a disruptive gesture that introduces a colorful object in an otherwise neutral environment

the piece is a 14.4 meters long tubular structure on metal stilts with seven openings

the installation appropriates an industrial component

moradavaga aims to give an interactive purpose to the piece and question the representational aspect of public art

a set of mirrors implanted within its body allows to gain different perspectives

capable of extending views beyond the object’s dimensional limits

moradavaga proposes different ways of appropriating with the urban territory at hand

‘focus’ signals in an unusual and somewhat intriguing manner the entrance to the municipality’s cultural center

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom