Biography
“The indissoluble relationship between art and life is at the heart of Ana Amorim’s practice. Since the 1980s, she has developed a body of work in which the movements of everyday life are recorded and registered with such rigor that there is no effective difference between being alive and making art. In this sense, she belongs within an artistic lineage that includes artists like Tehching Hsieh, On Kawara, Chris Burden, or Marina Abramovic. Ana Amorim developed her work in São Paulo, Brazil, the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, and other locations. Broadly speaking, her work consists of two distinct but related ongoing practices: Mental Maps in which she traces her daily movements from memory at the end of each day, and Passage of Time in which she records each passing second with numbers and graphic marks.
In 1988, Amorim drafted her first important text: “Conceptual Decisions”, a manifesto in which she set the very strict terms for the production for the following ten years, including statements such as, “I would use inexpensive materials” or “I would not sell the work”. In 2001 she elaborated these ideas into a contract reflecting her beliefs in how her art should be shown. The terms were intentionally so onerous (for example no sponsorship by companies that produced environmental or social damage) that she effectively self-isolated from the commercial and not-for-profit art world. These terms were in place for almost two decades, during which time she continued to produce her work daily, but it was unknown outside a very small group of friends and supporters. She also sold no works during this period. As a result of this decision, her body of work is almost completely intact.
Amorim’s work crosses two important traditions in contemporary art practice. On the one hand the idea of art produced by instructions and contract, which dates back to Moholy-Nagy’s works ordered by telephone from the 1920s, but which came to maturity in Seth Siegelaub’s Artist’s Contract of 1970 in which the artist takes control of the distribution and circulation of his or her work. The other tradition is that of breaking down the divisions between the art world and everyday life, which also has its roots in avant-garde practice, but which was revitalized by The Situationist International, Fluxus, and other groups. Amorim builds on these traditions, while also incorporating the element of embroidery and textile, adding a potential feminist reading to the work. By bringing together a strict conceptual practice with the ‘minor’ art of textile, she expands the traditional male field of conceptualist art into new areas.”
Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro
Art historian and curator; advisor to the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros; chief curator of the 33rd Bienal de São Paulo (2018) and the 6th Bienal do Mercosul (2007).
“Ana Amorim was educated in the United States and then integrated the lineage of artists active in the 1970s' conceptual movement, mostly in New York. Her obsessive logging of everyday activities and long-term interventions resembled the practices of On Kawara and Tehching Hsieh.
For over two decades, Amorim refused to participate in exhibitions sponsored by corporations, or held in commercial galleries or in institutions charging an admission fee, so her work remained virtually invisible. However, this also meant that she has been one of the very few Brazilian artists to enter the field of institutional critique.
Since 1988, Amorim has performed Contar segundos [Counting seconds] several times. She spends an hour counting seconds while marking a line in her notebook each second, thus producing a record of the intervention. At one minute intervals, she logs the total number of minutes that have gone by. The same level of concentration and dedication is seen in other projects too, particularly Mapas [Maps]: over more than three decades, at the end of each day, she has drawn up a mental map of all her movements during that day. In some cases, these maps fuse into larger works such as the series of large-scale wall installations Grandes telas [Large canvases], consisting of 365 parts, each of them representing an ephemeral, poetic, and personal portrait of a day.”
Jacopo Crivelli Visconti
Independent critic and curator; chief curator for the 34th edition of the Bienal de São Paulo; author of the book Novas derivas (2014); member of the team of the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo (2001 to 2009); curator of the official Brazilian participation at the 52nd Biennale di Venezia (2007).
Ana Amorim
São Paulo, Brazil, 1956
EXHIBITIONS
“26/8/2023 - 23/9/2023” - Millan - Curator: Jacopo Crivelli Visconti - São Paulo - Brazil 2023
“Entre a Estrela e a Serpente” - Galeria Leme - Curator: Galciani Neves - São Paulo - Brazil - 2022
“26032022-6.744-281-65-01/30042022-5.904-246-65-36” - Galeria Vermelho - São Paulo - Brazil - 2022
“A Discourse of Uncertainties” - 1 Mira Madrid Gallery - Madrid - Spain - 2020
“31052019-5,160-215-62/13092019-2,640-110-63” - Espaivisor Gallery - Valencia - Spain - 2019
”Surrounding: The Borderline of Art” - Funarte - São Paulo - Brazil - 2009
”Electronic Image” - Casa da Cultura - Ribeirão Preto - Brazil - 2003
“mulher(es)” - Pinacoteca Benedicto Calixto - Curator: Tadeu Chiarelli - Santos - Brazil - 2002
”Cultures of Resistance” - RTS - London - UK - 1999/2000
“Large Canvas 3 and 4” - Alternative Art Gallery - London - UK - 1994
“09151992260-106-2544-36-2” - Museum of Modern Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 1992
“11221990960-40-34/022419917464-311-34” - Museum of Contemporary Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 1990/91
“(7056-6960)-(294-290)-32-(2-1)” - MFA Thesis Show - Siegfried Gallery at Ohio University - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1988
”Graduate Group Show” - Siegfried Gallery at Ohio University - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1988
CONCEPTUAL PERFORMANCES
“Maps and Evidences of My Life”
“Maps” - Several Locations in Private - 2001-To Date
“Maps” - Surrounding: The Borderline of Art - Funarte - São Paulo - Brazil - 2009
“Evidence Gathering” - Private Daily Gathering from My Surroundings - 1989-1991, 2000-2005 and 2008
“Ten-Year Performance Project” - Private Daily Map Recording of My Life - 1988-1997
“Counting Seconds Performance”
“Brumadinho” - 1 hour counting seconds performance - Brumadinho - Brazil - 2021.
“Counting Seconds in Black” (365 Hours) - 365 Day Private Counting Seconds Performance - Several Locations - 2021
“Luta Pela Vida” (7 Hours) - Counting Seconds Performance for a week among the “Luta Pela Vida” indigenous camp and protest for indigenous land rights in Brazil. Brasília - Brazil - 2021.
“17082021-3.288-137-65” (1 Hour) - Counting Seconds, for one hour, in front of the Cinemateca Brasileira with its doors shut. São Paulo - Brazil - 2021.
“01082021-3672-153-64-1/07082021-3528-147-64-7” (7 Days) - Clareira - Museum of Contemporary Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 2021
“22 Hour Days” (24 Days) - 22 Hour Day Book 2019 - 31052019 - 5,160 - 215 - 62 / 13092019 - 2,640 - 110 - 63 Exhibition - Espaivisor Gallery - Valencia - Spain - 2019
“One Minute in Private” (365 Days) - 365 Minutes / 365 Maps - Several Locations - 2019
“Private Counting Seconds” (365 Days) - 365 Hours - Several Locations - 2019
“Counting Seconds” (22 Days) - Counting Seconds Book 2018 - Matrix for Actual Time Exhibition - Museum of Contemporary Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 2018
“140519946H5568-232-37/150519946H5544-231-37” (2 Days) - Counting Seconds Book ICA-London - Spring Exhibitionists - Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) - London - UK - 1994
“Counting Seconds” (95 Days) - Counting Seconds Books MAC-USP - 11221990960-40-34/022419917464-311-34 Exhibition - Museum of Contemporary Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 1990-1991
“Private Counting Seconds in My Own Time” (365 Days) - Large Canvas 4 - São Paulo - Brazil - 1991
“Private Counting Seconds” (365 Days) - Large Canvas 3 - São Paulo - Brazil - 1990
“Counting Piece” (18 Days) - Books - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1989
“Institutional Critique Performance”
“Povos Originários” - Several Locations - 2015-To Date
“Living in South Pacific” - New Zealand and Australia - 2010-To Date
“News About Mining” - Several Locations - 2010-To Date
“Mineração Para Quem?” - Brazil and Latin America - 2010-To Date
“O Entorno” - Several Locations - 2006-To Date
“Letters to the Art System” - Several Locations - 2001-To Date
“Cartas ao Sistema de Arte” - São Paulo - Brazil - 2001-2017
“Transcommunicator Performance”
Professor from Lingnan University Hong Kong - Translator - Brazil and Hong Kong - 2004 -2016
Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development - Conference Interpreter for Via Campesina - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil - 06/2012
Sydney Possuelo - Department of Isolated Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI) - Interpreter and Translator - Brazil and New Zealand - 2005-2011
1st South South Forum on Sustainability - Conference Interpreter - Lingnan University - Hong Kong - China - 12/2011
3rd Get Organized for Human Rights – MST/ Dignity International - Conference Interpreter - Jarinu - Brazil - 08/2011
Maori Rally Event - Interpreter - Civic Square - Wellington - New Zealand - 04/2011
João Pedro Stedile - National Coordinator of the Landless Peoples Movement (MST) - Interpreter - Taiwan, Hong Kong and China - 06/2009
Perspectives of Class Struggle Seminar - Conference Interpreter - Florestan Fernandes National School - Guararema - Brazil - 06/2008
National Coordinators of the Landless Peoples Movement (MST) - Interpreter - Republic of Korea - 09/2007
International Conference on Food Sovereignty, Agrarian Reform and Peasant Rights - Interpreter - All Nepal Peasant Federation (ANPF) - Kathmandu - Nepal - 08-09/2007
Landless Peoples Movement Congress (MST) - Interpreter - Brasília - Brazil - 06/2007
International Seminar on Eucalyptus - Conference Interpreter - National School Florestan Fernandes - Guararema - Brazil - 04/2007
ANAMURI Congress - Interpreter - National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women - Santiago - Chile - 03/2007
COP8 MOP3 - Convention on Biological Diversity - Conference and Press Conference Interpreter - Curitiba - Brazil - 03/2006
UN International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Reconstruction - Conference and Press Conference Interpreter - Porto Alegre - Brazil - 03/2006
Instituto Brasileiro Indigenista (IBI) - Translator - São Paulo - Brazil - 11-12/2005
1st International Meeting on Isolated Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon (FUNAI) - Interpreter - Belem - Brazil - 11/2005
Evo Morales - Presidential Candidate of Bolivia - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 11/2005
Professor at Washington University (USA) - Interpreter - Brasília and Porto Velho - Brazil - 09/2005
World March of Women - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 05/2005
Marcha da Reforma Agrária 2005 - Interpreter - Goiânia to Brasília March - Brazil - 05/2005
President of NPC Productions - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 03/2005
Professor at Centre for the Study of Globalization and Regionalization (University of Warwick - UK) - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 02/2005
Comité Catholique contre la Faim et pour le Développement - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 01/2005
Hugo Chavez - President of Venezuela - Interpreter - Porto Alegre - Brazil - 01/2005
World Social Forum 2005 - Conference Interpreter - Porto Alegre - Brazil - 01/2005
Social Network for Justice and Human Rights - Translator - São Paulo - Brazil - 2004-2005
NKUZI - Interpreter - Polokwane - South Africa - 10/2004
Surplus People Project (SPP) - Interpreter - Cape Town - South Africa - 10/2004
Development Action Group (DAG) - Interpreter - Cape Town - South Africa - 10/2004
National Coordinators of the Landless Peoples Movement (MST) - Interpreter - South Africa - 10/2004
South African Journalist (Farmer’s Weekly) - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 09/2004
Dean of Renmin University - School of Agriculture and Rural Development (Beijing, China) - Interpreter - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil - 08/2004
Karnataka State Farmers' Association (KRRS) - Interpreter - São Paulo - Brazil - 08/2004
Rural Reconstruction Alumni and Friends Association - Interpreter - Paraná - Brazil - 06/2004
“Art Contract”
“Negative CV Performance”
“Conceptual PhD Submission” - Centre for Ideas - Melbourne University - Melbourne - Australia - 2012
“PhD Withdrawal” - Massey University - New Zealand - 2012
“Exhibition Refusal” - Honfleur Gallery, Transformer Gallery and Provisions Library - Washington DC - USA - 2011
“Canal Contemporâneo Withdrawal” - Canal Contemporâneo Website - São Paulo - Brazil - 2006
“The Trajectory of the Minister and President of the Central Bank” - Published Weblog - São Paulo - Brazil - 2004
“Not In My Name Withdrawal” - MASC - Florianopolis - Brazil - 2004
“Map of the Route of Vitae Grant” - Published Weblog - São Paulo - Brazil - 2003
“Open Doors Project Conceptual Submission” - Thomas Cohn Gallery - São Paulo - Brazil - 2003
“Livros” - Genius Locci Exhibition - Circuito Vila Buarque de Educação e Cultura - Mackenzie University - São Paulo - Brazil - 2002
“Art Contract Conceptual Submission” - Projeto Rumos - Itaú Cultural Foundation - São Paulo - Brazil - 2001
“Arte Wyeth Refusal” - Fascículo de Arte - Arte Wyeth - São Paulo - Brazil - 2001
“Lecture Performance”
“Reinicio Laboratorio” - Fundación Luis Seoane - A Coruña - Spain - 2022
“MAC USP Bastidores - Ana Amorim” - São Paulo - Brazil - 2021
“Art of Resistance: The Impossible Artist” - 1st South South Forum on Sustainability - Hong Kong - China - 2011
“The Pedagogical Artist as Mediator” - Funarte - São Paulo - Brazil - 2009
“The Practice of the Impossible Artist” - Symposium MARP - Ribeirão Preto - Brazil - 2007
“The Practice of the Impossible Artist” - International Seminar: Art and Politics in the 90’s - Museum of Contemporary Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 2007
“The Impossible Artist” - Laboratório Hotel (Hóspede 2007) - São Paulo - Brazil - 2007
“The Impossible Artist” - The Breath of the Artist Lecture Project - University of São Paulo - São Paulo - Brazil - 2006
“Art and Life” - Labour II Project - Santa Marcelina University - São Paulo - Brazil - 2003
“Art and Life” - The Breath of the Artist Lecture Project - University of São Paulo - São Paulo - Brazil - 2001
“10 Year Performance Project” - Museum of Modern Art - São Paulo - Brazil - 2001
“Donation Project Performance” - Donations to Individuals - Several Locations Worldwide - 2008-2009
“Indigenous Peoples”
“No Drilling on The Coast Maori Protest” (Video Performance) - Wellington - New Zealand - 2011
“Stolen Mirror” - Terra Indígena Zo’é - Pará - Brazil - 2008
“Cicadas” (Video Performance)
“Little Girl” (Video Performance)
“Mother and Child in the Hammock” (Video Performance)
“Boys and Trees” (Video Performance)
“Woman” (Video Performance)
“Child” (Video Performance)
“Arrows and Hoe” (Video Performance)
“Hoes and Dirt” (Video Performance)
“Shadow” (Video Performance)
“Discovering Shadow” (Video Performance)
“What Is Indigenism” - Brasília, Santarém and Terra Indígena Zo’é - Brazil - 2007-2008
“RC Santarém Interview“- 2008 (Video Performance)
“JL Santarém Interview - 2008” (Video Performance)
“JL Terra Indígena Zo’é Interview - 2008” (Video Performance)
“SP Brasília Interview 02 - 2007” (Video Performance)
“SP Brasília Interview 01 - 2007” (Video Performance)
“Early Performances”
“The Proper Function of a University” - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1989
“30 Seconds” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1989
“Telephone” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1989
“Birthday Phone Calls” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1989
“Walk” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1988
“Writing Seconds” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1988
“Survival State of Alienation” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1988
“Counting Time Out Loud” (Video Performance) - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1988
“Pact Piece” - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1987
“15 Hours - Three Stages” - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1987
“The Walk Downtown” - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1987
“The Bag - Gate” - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1987
“The Bag - Lobby” - Athens - Ohio - USA - 1987
“Other Performances”
“Soulmates” - Conceptual Performance on Website soulmates.theguardian.com - 2006
“Reflecting on Land Art” - Brazil and Chile - 2001
“Looking for Richard Long in Juréia” - Barra do Una - Juréia - Brazil - 2001
“Looking for Richard Long Aiuruoca” - Aiuruoca - Brazil - 2001
“Looking for Richard Long Trilha do Ouro” - São José do Barreiro - Brazil - 2001
“Looking for Richard Long in Central Andes” - Volcán San José - Chile - 2001
“Storytelling” - Alternative Art Galleries - London - UK - 1994
“Storytelling - 09151992260-106-2544-36-2” - Museum of Modern Art (MAM) - São Paulo - Brazil - 1992
REFERENCES / PUBLICATIONS
GONÇALVES FILHO, Antonio. Remains of the Day. Millan, São Paulo, Brazil, August 2023.
DE LAS HERAS BRETÍN, Rut. Una Exposición Para Leer. El País. Madrid, Spain, 2020.
VISCONTI, Jacopo Crivelli. Contar Segundos. Editorial SP-Arte 360. São Paulo, Brazil, 2020.
ARTISHOCK. Discursos de Incertidumbres. Revista de Arte Contemporáneo. Santiago, Chile, 2020.
LÓPEZ, Ianko. ARCO 2020. El País. Madrid, Spain, 2020.
PARREÑO, José María. Medir como Forma de Pensar. El Cultural. Madrid, Spain, 2019.
AMORIM, Ana & DE LOS ÁNGELES, Álvaro. Mesuras. Catalogue. León, Spain, 2019.
CORREIA, Donny. Ana Amorim: Mental Maps of a Life-Practice. Artecapital. Lisbon, Portugal, 2019.
DE LOS ÁNGELES, Álvaro. Being Archive. Espaivisor Gallery Catalogue. Valencia, Spain, 2019.
VISCONTI, Jacopo Crivelli. Matrix of Actual Time. Catalogue. São Paulo, Brazil, 2018.
MARGOTTO, Samira. Fluxos e refluxos. University of São Paulo. São Paulo, Brazil, 2018.
TOMIMORI, Ana. Descontornos de um mapa. University of São Paulo. São Paulo, Brazil, 2015.
BULHÕES, Maria Amélia. Territorialidade/Territoriality. São Paulo, Brazil, 2010.
ROLA, Alexandre. Intervenções Urbanas. Matosinhos, Brazil, 2010.
RESENDE, Ricardo. Ana Amorim: The Impossible Artist. University of São Paulo. São Paulo, Brazil, 2008
AFONSO, Lígia. Sara & André. Artecapital. Exposições Atuais. Lisboa, Portugal, 2008.
MARP. Simpósio SARP. Museu de Arte de Ribeirão Preto. Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, 2007.
MAC-USP. Políticas da Arte nos Anos Noventa. Seminar at the University of São Paulo. São Paulo, Brazil, 2007.
GONZATTO, Marcelo. Questão Agrária. Zero Hora. Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2006.
ROSAS, Ricardo. Blogs e Ativismo: Uma Política de Código Aberto?. Rizoma.net. São Paulo, Brazil, 2005.
CANETTI, Patricia. Cartas ao Sistema de Arte. Como Atiçar a Brasa. São Paulo, Brazil, 2005.
RESENDE, Ricardo. Imagem Eletrônica. Catalogue. Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, 2003.
LABOR 2. Exposição e Debates. Catalogue. São Paulo, Brazil, 2003.
AMORIM, Ana. ZMI Profiles. Catalogue. Woods Hole, MA, USA, 2003.
A TRIBUNA. Questionando a Condição Feminina. Santos, Brazil, 2002.
A TRIBUNA. Novo Espaço Abriga Arte Contemporânea. Santos, Brazil, 2002.
CHIARELLI, Domingos Tadeu. mulhere(es). Catalogue. Santos, Brazil, 2002.
ALTERNATIVE ARTS GALLERY. Performance Installation. Press Release Catalogue. London, UK, 1994.
BARBOSA, Ana Mae. Tempo/Espaço Instalados. Catalogue. São Paulo, Brazil, 1990.
BRUCE, David. MFA Thesis Show Season. The Athens News. Athens, OH, USA, 1989.
BOATWRIGHT, Bart. Ana Khouri Intervention. The Post. Athens, OH, USA, 1989.
BUTLER, Tim. Performance Artist Captures Imagination of OU. The Post. Athens, OH, USA, 1987.
ART FAIRS
"SP-Arte 2024" - Millan - São Paulo - Brazil - 2024
“Art Basel Miami Beach 2023” - Millan - Miami - USA - 2023
“SP-Arte Rotas Brasileiras 2023” - Millan - São Paulo - Brazil - 2023
“Art Basel 2023” - Ana Amorim: Routines (Solo Feature, curated by Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro) - Millan - Basel - Switzerland - 2023
“SP-Arte 2023” - Galeria Millan - São Paulo - Brazil - 2023
“Art Basel Miami Beach 2022” - Galeria Millan - Miami - USA - 2022
“OVR Art Basel Miami Beach” - Galeria Millan - Miami - USA - 2022
"ArtRio 2022" - Galeria Millan - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil - 2022
“The Armory Show” - Galeria Millan - New York - USA - 2022
“SP-Arte - Rotas Brasileiras” - Galeria Millan - São Paulo - Brazil - 2022
"SP-Arte 2022" - Galeria Vermelho - São Paulo - Brazil - 2022
“SP-Arte Viewing Room 2020" - 1 Mira Madrid Gallery - São Paulo - Brazil - 2020
“ARCOmadrid 2020” - 1 Mira Madrid Gallery - Madrid - Spain - 2020
“ARCOmadrid 2019” - Espaivisor Gallery - Madrid - Spain - 2019
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Master of Fine Arts - Painting and Art History - Ohio University - Ohio, USA (Class of 1989)