NOT VITAL: ¿Qué hace el viento cuando no sopla? Solo exhibition at proyectoamil
proyectoamil and the Lima Art Museum – MALI present for the first time in Peru an exhibition of the renowned Swiss artist Not Vital (Sent, 1948), whose work spans sculpture, painting, architecture, and installation. His production arises from a constant dialogue with nature and diverse cultures, resulting in works that merge with the space that surrounds them.
The exhibition at proyectoamil brings together a collection of self-portraits, sculptures, collages, drawings, and photographs that demonstrate the breadth of his practice. The series of oil self-portraits explores a minimalist and abstract vision of the human figure. Among the sculptures is the Cow Dung series, part of an ongoing project, with proceeds benefiting the burn unit at a hospital in Kathmandu. This work explores the paradox of transforming a material considered worthless in Switzerland into a prized object in the art market.
More than forty collages and drawings on paper and chalkboards accompany the sculptures and paintings. These pieces were created in Lima during a residency in 2017 and inspired by the landscape of the Engadine Valley in Switzerland, where Vital grew up and lives part of the year. The exhibition also includes a series of photographs of his NotOna project, a house-sculpture built on an island near the Marble Caves in General Carrera Lake, Chilean Patagonia. This work is part of Vital's dream of building houses to contemplate the sunset on every continent.
At the Lima Art Museum, Vital will present a site-specific installation titled Snowball Wall. The work is activated through a performative action in which the artist throws plaster balls against the walls, recreating a kind of snowball fight. Vital uses plaster because, at a certain point in its hydration process, the material resembles snow: not only in its appearance, but also in its texture and ductility. Upon impact, the balls fragment and leave relief impressions, creating a wall marked by multiple imprints.
