Tales of The New World, Johab Silva

JOHAB SILVA

TALES OF THE NEW WORLD

JOHAB SILVA

TALES OF THE NEW WORLD

MARCH

30 – MAY 26, 2024

Left: In Between the Cross and the Sword: The Intercourse (still), 2022-2024

Cover: São Francisco Church and Convent of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Johab Silva.

FROM THE CURATOR

Tales of the New World is new media artist Johab Silva’s futuristic re-imagining of the discovery, arrival and settlement of Brazil by Portuguese colonizers in installation and immersive media. Silva’s retelling of Brazil’s colonial origin story is based loosely on a 16th century letter written by Pêro Vaz de Caminha with visual sources that range from the flora and fauna of Brazil’s jungles to the colonial architecture of Salvador, Bahia.

Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Johab Silva was intimately familiar with Brazil’s colonial history, but it was not until a 2023 trip to Salvador in the province of Bahia that the story of the conquest became tangible. Salvador is the city just north of where Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvarez Cabral’s fleet first made landfall. It was there that Portugal imprinted itself on the land and its people, not only through a population of West African slaves that were brought to cultivate sugarcane, but also through art and architecture. Portugal’s presence in Salvador is still visible through monuments to Catholic saints such as the Monumento Cruz do Pascoal [fig. 1] and Baroque cathedrals embellished with staggering gilt ornamentation [fig. 2]. Perhaps most notably, Salvador’s streets and buildings are embellished with azulejos, blue and white Portuguese glazed ceramic tiles, as seen in the cloister of the Convent of São Francisco [fig. 3]. Moved by Salvador’s natural beauty and architectural grandeur, Silva was also aware of the cruelty that the city was testament to and consequently found himself returning to Pêro Vaz de Caminha’s letter.

Pêro Vaz de Caminha was the scribe aboard the fleet of ships under the command of explorer Pedro Alvarez Cabral. Caminha’s letter, written in 1500 to the King of Manuel I of Portugal, is famed for the

detail with which he recounts his first impressions of Brazil; a lush tropical landmass inhabited by a foreign peoples whose appearance and customs were unlike anything he had previously seen. “They are of dark brown, rather reddish color,” Caminha writes of the Indigenous peoples. “They go naked, with no sort of covering. They attach no more importance to covering up their private parts or leaving them uncovered than they do to showing their faces.”1 Later, Caminha goes into detail describing their unique form of beautification, including adornment with feathers, beads and body paint.2 Caminha also describes exchanges in which the Portuguese offered hats and bracelets to the natives in exchange for beads,

1 “Communities Interacting: a nodal history of cultural ecology,” http://www.culturalecology.info/ceprocess_map/1500.html

2 Some were painted in quarters with those paints, others by halves, and others all over, like a tapestry. They all had their lips pierced; some had bones in them, though many had not. Some work spiky green seed-shells off some tree, which were colored like chestnut shells, though they were much smaller. These were full of little red berries which, on being squeezed, squirted out a very red juice with which they dyed themselves... They were all shaven to above the ears; likewise their eyelids and eyelashes were shaven. All their foreheads are painted with black paint from temple to temple. This gives the impression of their wearing a ribbon round them two inches wide. “Communities Interacting: a nodal history of cultural ecology,” http://www.culturalecology.info/ceprocess_map/1500.html.

fig. 1, Cruz do Pascoal Monument, Bahia, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Johab Silva.

fig. 2, São Francisco Church and Convent of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Johab Silva.

bows and arrows, and even a multitude of exotically plumed parrots. Of the land itself, Caminiha said:

All the coastal country from one point to the other is very flat and beautiful. As to the jungle, it seemed very large to us seen from the sea; for, look [sic] as we would, we could see nothing but land and woods, and the land seemed very extensive. Til now we have been unable to learn if there is gold or silver or any other kind of metal or iron there; we have seen none. However, the air of the country is very healthful, fresh and temperate…There is a great plenty, an infinitude of waters. The country is so well-favored that if it were rightly cultivated it would yield everything 3

What strikes a contemporary reader about Caminha’s letter is its sense of breathless wonder and violent foreshadowing. Despite his

3 “Communities Interacting: a nodal history of cultural ecology,” http://www.culturalecology.info/ceprocess_map/1500.html

4 At the beginning of his letter, Caminha states, “I shall not set down anything beyond what I have seen and reflected on, either to add beauty or ugliness to the narrative.” “Communities Interacting: a nodal history of cultural ecology,” http://www.culturalecology.info/ceprocess_map/1500.html

fig. 3, São Francisco Church and Convent of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Johab Silva.

best efforts to remain neutral in tone,4 Caminha can barely contain his sense of awe at the discovery of the land and its people. At the same time, throughout the letter, there are instances of his blatant “othering” of Brazil’s indigenous population, his sexualized observations of indigenous women and men, and his allusions to Portugal’s colonial ambitions.

In one famous account, Caminha describes Brazil’s first Mass conducted on the beach, followed shortly thereafter by a story in which the natives have tin crucifixes ceremoniously hung around their necks by a Friar. “The best fruit that could be gathered hence would be, it seems to me, the salvation of these people,”5 Caminha writes. It is clear that Caminha’s observations are filtered through a White, Western European, Catholic framework. It is this framework that inspired his voyage’s mission; specifically to obtain gold and silver, to “tame” the natives and convert them to the Catholic faith, and to claim the land and its inhabitants for Portugal’s glory.

Silva knew that the story of Brazil’s colonization was ripe for reinterpretation. As an artist interested in presenting counter-narratives to predominant power structures, he began working in graffiti and gradually moved into new media. Through his re-imagining of Brazil’s “discovery” in video, installation, augmented and virtual reality, Silva situates us in the first contact between Brazil’s discoverers and the discovered and offers us a chance to witness the story from an omniscient perspective.

Tales of the New World opens theatrically, with a video projected on top of MoCA Arlington’s largest window. As the window opens, a galleon sails into view, sailing across a storm tossed, blood colored sea. From there, passing under an azulejo covered threshold into the main exhibition space, the viewer encounters four video

5 “Communities Interacting: a nodal history of cultural ecology,” http://www.culturalecology.info/ceprocess_map/1500.html

monitors, two mounted on each wall. On each monitor, are videos of shiny abstract forms that rotate slowly, hovering in the midst of azulejo-tiled courtyards, like shimmering treasures in a video game. The objects in Silva’s videos fuse abstract elements of snakes, birds, gemstones and plants with the opulent Portuguese Baroque architecture of Salvador. Beguiling and fetishistic, these objects are intended to elicit a similar longing in the viewer as the one Caminha alludes to in his letter when describing the people and land he and the Portuguese colonists encountered. The exhibition concludes with a virtual reality experience that allows the viewer to float through a jungle to discover a monumental battle unfolding at sea just beyond the shoreline.

What to make of this contemporary revisitation? In Silva’s own statement of purpose, his life-changing trip to Bahia “fueled my desire to uncover a crucial historical colonial event, paralleling it with present contexts, with the goal of expediting the narrative in the contemporary.” Silva goes on to say that Brazil’s “discovery” was a dual discovery for both the colonizers and the colonized; however the perspective of the Indigenous peoples were lost to history. Like many colonialist projects in the Americas, Portugal’s conquest of Brazil bred an array of far-reaching consequences that extend into its current social and political context. The ongoing deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, urban expansion, and gentrification are, in Silva’s words, the “ripple effects of human actions, urging us to pause, reflect and tread forward consciously.” Silva posits that the story of Brazil’s discovery and conquest by the Portuguese, encapsulated in Caminha’s letter, is a cautionary example of how these events reverberate throughout our own historical moment.

—Amanda Jirón-Murphy Curator and Resident Artist/Collector Liaison

Letter of Pedro Vaz de Caminha, written in Porto-Seguro of Vera Cruz on the First Day of May in the Year 1500, Arquivo Nacional de Torre do Tombo, Lisbon, Portugal.

Scan the QR code to read a translation.

FROM THE ARTIST

My exploration delved into pivotal documents depicting Brazil’s history, accompanied by paintings narrating Portuguese colonization—the initial encounters and their aftermath. This journey fueled my desire to uncover a crucial historical colonial event, paralleling it with present contexts, with the goal of expediting the narrative in the contemporary.

The striking parallels emerge among Brazilian colonial history, the assault on the Amazon rainforest, and contemporary gentrification. Financial power, race, and education define dominant cultures as explorers, shaping and claiming new territories. Yet, other communities, less financially endowed, of different races or educational backgrounds, equally embody the spirit of exploration: it’s not about possession, but acknowledging diverse values, knowledge, and experiences. Communities devoid of Western education exemplify survival and resilience, thriving amidst chaos, showcasing harmony within smaller settings. The congested streets of Bombay, the favelas of Brazil, and Himalayan villages spotlight the inherent exploratory nature within each human. The crucial point lies not in the intent to explore or plan to, but in the response to discovery of a new place. How does one react when they encounter a new environment? Excitement, anger, sorrow, concern, curiosity? The range of emotions intertwines with planning, defining crucial moments.

In Pêro’s letter, the Portugueses excitement overshadowed the unheard thoughts of the natives. It was a dual discovery, yet the Portugueses perceived it as an opportunity to expand their power and ideology, endorsed by the king and religion. Returning to the

crux, the Portuguese missed a vital cue—a failure to recognize the native community’s sophistication, their power, as well their ideologies. How could the educated and affluent disregard the natives’ advanced knowledge of their land, history, culture? The Brazilian natives’ insights into their natural resources should have shaped Brazil’s development, but since that first brutal encounter the South American land has served as food for dogs. The essence of a good heart’s explorer should lie in acknowledging and respecting both sides equally, learning and sharing without imposition. Caminha’s letter otherwise showcases the imposition of beliefs, brutal treatment of native women, and a quest for gold.

The resonance with present times echoes loud and clear. Gentrified neighborhoods or decimated Amazonian forests signify irreversible losses—a detriment causing new cities to lack life’s essence. The dominant culture of the present mirrors Caminha’s actions, imposing judgment without empathy or foresight. Settlements wiped communities, plundered resources, ravaged ecosystems, and perpetuated dominance. The dream for colonizers was a nightmare for the colonized, breeding a spectrum of consequences. The parallels drawn between deforestation, urban expansion, gentrification, and colonization serve as mirrors to the past and present. Each narrative reveals the ripple effects of human actions, urging us to pause, reflect, and tread forward conscientiously. —Johab Silva

In Between The Spectator’s Sanctuary (still), 2022-2024

Digital 3D model, animation, generative media, mp4, site specific single channel video projection mapping

1 min. 40 sec.

152 x 107 in.

In Between the Cross and the Sword: The Intercourse (still), 2022-2024 Augmented reality, mp4, single-channel projection-mapping

2 min. 8 sec

Dimensions Variable

Tropical

LED monitor, media player, digital 3D model, animation, generative media, ceramic mp4, single channel video

4 min. 20 sec.

Ceramic frames in collaboration with artist Susan Scollon

Whispers No1 (still), 2022-2024

LED

15 in. 10 sec.

Ceramic frames in collaboration with artist Susan Scollon

Tropical Whispers No2 (still), 2022-2024

monitor, media player, digital 3D model, animation, generative media, ceramic mp4, single channel video

Tropical Whispers No3, 2022-2024

LED monitor, media player, digital 3D model, animation, generative media, ceramic mp4, single channel video

4 min. 20 sec.

Ceramic frames in collaboration with artist Susan Scollon

Tropical Whispers No4, 2022-2024

LED monitor, media player, digital 3D model, animation, generative media, ceramic mp4, single channel video

4 min. 20 sec.

Ceramic frames in collaboration with artist Susan Scollon

The Reconfiguration, 2022-2024

Projection mapping, Virtual Reality (VR)

Dimensions variable

Sound 1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated

Sound 2.

Noticias Distantes (Distant News)

Poem and Voice: Thalita Oliveros

Sound Composition: Nikolas Chacon

Executive Producer: Noti Mambembe

Sound 3. Capitulo 10 (Chapter 10)

Lyrics and voice: Nobruz CZ

Musical production: Douglas M. Veloso, Gabriel Trevis

Special Participation: Gabriel Diaz, Catherine Haase

Working in NFTs, VR, generative media and performance art, Brazilian artist JOHAB SILVA explores environmental issues, time and chance, and the fabrication, consumption, and collection of digital media.

Johab Silva holds an MFA from Maine College of Art & Design and a Graduate degree in Arts in Education from the Corcoran College of Art & Design. Silva’s works have been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including The NKR Neuer Kunstraum (Düsseldorf, Germany);

Santo André Museum of Art (São Paulo, Brazil); The Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, DC); Transformer Gallery (Washington, DC); The Kreeger Museum (Washington, DC); The Institute of Contemporary Art (Portland, ME) and Cody Gallery at Marymount University (Arlington, VA). Silva’s works have been reviewed in The Washington Post, Sculpture Magazine, Cruzeiro do Sul Newspaper, PBS, and many other media venues. He is a Lecturer at University of Maryland.

ABOUT

The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that enriches community life by connecting the public with contemporary art and artists through exhibitions, education programs, and an artists-in-residence program.

Established in 1974, and formerly known as Arlington Arts Center, the organization has a long history of launching and supporting artists' careers in the mid-Atlantic region, presenting contemporary art exhibitions, and offering art-making classes for all ages. In 2022, the organization changed its name to reflect its position as a premiere hub for contemporary art and artists and as the only art museum in Arlington County. The Museum’s longstanding commitment to connect the community to living artists remains central to its mission and programming today.

At 17,000 square feet, the Museum is one of the largest non-federal venues for contemporary art in the Washington, DC area. Nestled within a public park, the building includes nine exhibition galleries, ten artist studios, two classrooms, and outdoor space for public art.

EXHIBITIONS

Through its rotating exhibitions and dynamic related programming, the Museum connects the community with artists from around the world, launches careers of emerging artists, provides established artists with opportunities to experiment, and showcases Arlington’s position within a global contemporary art sector to the public.

RESIDENT ARTISTS EDUCATION

The Museum offers high-quality art classes year-round for novice and seasoned artists of all ages, from toddlers to adults. Taught by experienced professional artists, classes are small and cover an array of media. Tuition is reasonably priced, and for families in need, the Museum offers a tuition assistance program. Free public programs are offered for the community to engage with various aspects of creativity and contemporary art. Often these programs highlight public partnerships, community cultural celebrations, music, and performance.

The Museum’s resident artist program provides subsidized private studio space in a supportive environment encouraging interaction and exploration. Artistsin-residence participate in Museum activities, exhibitions, and community programming where the public can interact firsthand with artists.

Catalog Design by Emily Fussner. Printed by Smartpress.

HOURS & LOCATION

Open to the public Wednesday – Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm | Free Admission

Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington

3550 Wilson Boulevard | Arlington, VA 22201 | 703.248.6800

Metro: Silver & Orange Lines | Virginia Square

For more information, visit www.mocaarlington.org

STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Catherine Anchin / director@mocaarlington.org

CURATOR OF EXHIBITIONS

Blair Murphy / exhibitions@mocaarlington.org

CURATOR AND RESIDENT ARTIST/COLLECTOR LIAISON

Amanda Jirón-Murphy / residency@mocaarlington.org

EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGERS

Lia Ferro / education@mocaarlington.org

Amber Cruz / education@mocaarlington.org

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Rhe’a Roland-Singer / operations@mocaarlington.org

PUBLIC PROGRAMS MANAGER

Sarah Loden / programs@mocaarlington.org

PUBLIC PROGRAMS ASSISTANT

Evie Cessair / programs@mocaarlington.org

EVENTS MANAGER

Rachel Piering / events@mocaarlington.org

VISITOR SERVICES ASSOCIATE

Adun Henry / information@mocaarlington.org

SPONSORS & PARTNERS

Programs are made possible through the generous support of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Arlington County through the Arlington Cultural Affairs division of Arlington Economic Development and the Arlington Commission for the Arts; the Virginia Commission for the Arts/National Endowment for the Arts; Arlington Community Foundation; many generous individual donors; and the Museum’s Corporate Council.