Meet Amanda Teixeira

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Teixeira.

Hi Amanda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a visual artist from Porto Alegre, a city in south Brazil. I am from a middle-class family; my dad was a sculptor and a musician, and my mom was a teacher trained as a librarian. Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to be born into a politically engaged family that always took me to see exhibitions and made sure that I had access to visual arts, music, and literature. My first interest in arts started with photography, documenting punk bands at small independent concerts. Because I wanted to pursue a photography career but have always been a creative kid – I decided to study fine arts for my undergrad. In Porto Alegre, I studied at the art institute at UFRGS, which is the only art school that exists, and lucky, it is a great one. I later studied in different academic institutions, UBA in Buenos Aires/Argentina, KHM in Cologne/Germany, and recently, I finished my MFA at CalArts in Valencia/USA. 

The cultural and political references I had growing up really formed who I am today. For example, I am really interested in ideas of self-publishing and artists’ books as a medium of storytelling and creating art pieces that can be sent anywhere in the world. Also, a lot of my artistic practice is centered on exploring in-between spaces, absences, and non-linear narratives, which I explore through sculpture, video, and publications. This reflects my experience in different scenarios, speaking multiple languages and adapting to different cultures. Even though I have traveled a bit over the last few years, my artistic process involves a long-duration process of collecting, accumulating, displacing, and deconstructing everyday objects and images. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I would say no journey is smooth – it really depends on the tools and partnership you have with you. I always had a lot of support to pursue my dreams, and even though sometimes I had to deal with things by myself, I never felt lonely. During the last 10 years, I have moved a lot and have found that the most challenging part is finding a sense of belonging in different communities. I still struggle with that – but I have always been lucky to find a few good people that I can rely on. I also have a strong community that supports me back in Brazil. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I consider myself a very driven, curious, and adventurous person. I am a maker of many things and have taught myself a lot through my process. Nine years ago, I started a publishing house, “Azulejo,” because I wanted to learn how to make a book. Seven years ago, I moved to Germany without ever being there or knowing any German. Four years ago, I moved to California without ever being in the US and not knowing how to drive. In these situations, I never allowed fear to stop me from doing (almost) anything. I am driven by a curiosity for the unknown, as seen in my work. As a visual artist, my work comes from the materials and stories I find. In my most recent exhibition, I used different tactics to explore the spaces in between and the idea of a language of loss. Through sculptures created with everyday objects and materials, most works look provisional but with the intention to claim land in the instability. One of these sculptures comprised 98 dried orange peels I peeled, ate, and shared with people around me. This work could only happen in the dry climate of Valencia, where my studio at CalArts was located. These peels were hand-sewn with a golden thread and hung in rows in the middle of the gallery with a dramatic light. Their shadows created a kind of writing. I did this thinking about the way my father would peel oranges as an act of care for me, and I now do for others. In this and other works, I translate an affective memory into a poetic installation as a language everyone can speak. This is something I am interested in – small and invisible gestures and ephemeral works. I am influenced by people who can see through the banality of everyday life, like magical realism, artists working with domestic spaces, and concepts of home. I am very interested in narratives from the global south, decolonial, and queer perspectives. 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Over the last few years, I have worked for and with different institutions, collectives, and artists. In various projects, I have to find and understand which position I am taking. When working with different artists, I must try to see things through other people’s eyes. In a collective, you sometimes have to take the lead if things are not moving; sometimes, you must wait and let others lead so everyone speaks their mind and is heard. Being dynamic and generous is something that I am learning every day. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amandateixeira.com
• Instagram: amndtx
• Other: http://www.oazulejo.com.br/

Image Credits
Brunella Martina
Gi Ahn