In the collaborative works among artists affinities are of the most importance. Nevertheless, that doesn’t necessarily imply agreements. In fact, in a dialogue, there’s always the construction of a convergence of ideas not always consonant. And in a collective work grounded in a dialogue, there’ll be concessions. Usually, this is how it works in a group.

But we can also create a third party character, imagined, in the radical task to glue all the affinities of the collective elements. The exhibition De A-a-A – Calpi & Camarao [From A-to-A – Calpi & Camarao] is shown from this point of view. As the author of the exhibition text Carolina Trigueiros mentions: “Orchestrated by A.calpi and Alexandre Camarao, the elaboration of the character comes from intuition, humor and poetry, in an exercise of freedom which aims to suppress the control exerted through reason and the authorship aura. A game where, as the surrealist cadaver-exquis, an artist continues the work of someone else”.

De A-a-A – Calpi & Camarao is being shown at Espaço Cultural das Mercês, Rua Cecílio de Sousa 94, Lisbon, until 27 February.