Adrián Villar Rojas

Question 1

When was Adrián Villar Rojas born?

Answer 1

1980

Question 2

Name two of Villar Rojas’ artworks

Answer 2

‘The End of Imagination’ and ‘The Theatre of Disappearance (XII)’

Question 3

What are the main themes in Villar Rojas’ works?

Answer 3

• site-specific environmental projects
• humanity at risk/on the verge of extinction/extinct
• future, past, & alternate versions of present interact in shared space
• what is the value of art post-humanity?

Question 4

When was ‘The End of Imagination’ exhibited?

Answer 4

2022

Question 5

When was ‘The Theatre of Disappearance (XII)’ exhibited?

Answer 5

2017-2018

Question 6

Describe the features of ‘The End of Imagination’

Answer 6

• exhibiton in The Tank (former WWII oil bunker)
• moving lights
• dark
• five abstract sculptures made of various materials

Question 7

Describe the features of ‘The Theatre of Disappearance (XII)’

Answer 7

• exhibition
• series of sculptures
• placed viewer between creation of exhibiton and decompositon
• considers value of art after death

Question 8

What does the use of software systems to create the sculptures in ‘The End of Imagination’ represent?

Answer 8

• used software systems to generate digitial worlds
• simulated different environments, sociopolitical conditions, and timespans
• placed virtual sculptures in worlds that were moulded by conditions
• resconstructed sculptures
• history of the space is important in creating artwork
• sculptures experinced conflict - space was born out of conflict (WWII)

Question 9

What does the use of layered materials represent in ‘The End of Imagination’?

Answer 9

• metals, plastics, concrete, resin, salvaged auto parts, other organic & inorganic materials
• represents history of space
• after it was abandoned, bunker materials left behind amalgamated
• became one mass like sculptures

Question 10

What do the moving lights represent in ‘The End of Imagination’?

Answer 10

• change paths at will
• act as sentient beings observing without prior context
• what would non-human entites make of human leftovers
• would they be considered art or remains of conflict that led to humanity’s demise?

Question 11

What do the organic materials in ‘The Theatre of Disappearance (XII)’ represent?

Answer 11

• wood, plants, fruit, raw meat, vegetables
• perishable
• exhibiton is going to disappear just like humanity on Earth

Question 12

What does the use of leftover materials of art from around the globe represent in ‘The Theatre of Disappearance (XII)’?

Answer 12

• art to non-art and back to art
• reinforced object’s impermanence and our own
• meanings and values we assign to world can be changed and removed instantly

Question 13

What does the rusted, old version of Marcel Duchamp’s ‘Bicycle wheel’ represent in ‘The Theatre of Disappearance (XII)’?

Answer 13

• what value would once-revolutionary art have after humanity