Opening Celebration
Join us to celebrate the opening of Construction, Occupation. The festivities
will begin with a curatorial welcome by guest co-curators Alex Ungprateeb
Flynn, Juliana Caffé, and Yudi Rafael. Musical performance by Raphael
Escobar will follow. The party will continue with Brazilian food and drinks.
Curated by Associate Professor Alex Ungprateeb Flynn (UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance) and São Paulo-based independent curators Juliana Caffé and Yudi Rafael, Construction, Occupation highlights the power of creative resistance, drawing direct connections between São Paulo and Los Angeles. The exhibition revisits and extends the groundbreaking 2016-17 “Cambridge Artistic Residency” (CARe) in downtown São Paulo, where an abandoned 17-story hotel was occupied by low-wage workers, refugees, and artists, ultimately leading to its transformation into government-funded social housing and a vibrant cultural hub. At the Fowler, the exhibition will feature photography, video, and installations from the original CARe residency alongside newly commissioned works, offering a compelling visual narrative of collective action, protest, and the radical potential of artistic practice to reimagine the urban landscape.
“Construction, Occupation examines art’s potential to shape the spaces in which we live, presenting a radical urban vocabulary that blurs the boundaries between art and activism,” says co-curator Alex Ungprateeb Flynn. “By linking São Paulo’s history of occupation-based social change with the urgent housing crises in Los Angeles, Construction, Occupation proposes new models of resistance and collective action to reclaim space and advocate for social justice.”
Participating artists include Raphael Escobar, Julián Fuks, Jaime Lauriano, Ícaro Lira, Virginia de Medeiros, Edgar Calel, Dulcinéia Catadora, Explode!, JAMAC, Rosa Gauditano, André Komatsu, Cinthia Marcelle, Bijari, Contrafilé, Noara Quintana, Frente 3 de Fevereiro, Preta Ferreira, Sato do Brasil, Cozinha Nove de Julho, and others.
"Bringing Construction, Occupation to the Fowler aligns with our commitment to presenting exhibitions that challenge perspectives and foster meaningful dialogue on global social issues," says Silvia Forni, Shirley & Ralph Shapiro Director of the Fowler Museum. "By showcasing the intersection of art and activism, this exhibition highlights the transformative power of community-driven artistic practices and invites visitors to reconsider the role of public space in shaping equitable cities."