The Berlin-based Brazilian sculptor Matheus Rocha Pitta, currently a participant in the Istanbul–Berlin Residency Program, will give a talk at Depo on his approach to “the archaeology of gestures.” Gestures, taken from daily life and disconnected from any biographical context, are reconfigured as deliberate aesthetic acts and presented through sculptures, installations, and photographs. Rocha Pitta will also discuss the political implications of gestures, drawing parallels between Rio de Janeiro and Istanbul through modern fiction and the wave of protests that swept both cities in 2013.

The Istanbul–Berlin Residency Program, carried out as a collaboration between Berlin and Istanbul, is organized by Anadolu Kültür / Depo and nGbK (neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst), in cooperation with Kunstquartier Bethanien. The aim of the program is to give participating artists the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of and insight into the culture of the host country, become familiar with the local art scene, make contacts, exchange ideas, gain inspiration, and carry out an artistic project in the host country.

The talk will be held in English and registration is not required.