The Solar – Cinematic Art Gallery is, by definition, a place for experimentation in an artistic field that lies between visual arts and cinema, where, precisely, they extend and reinvent themselves. It is in this territory that we find ourselves and to which we return every year, particularly in the exhibitions that open synchronously with Curtas Vila do Conde. An opportunity not be wasted, even because the audience influx is intensified, but, above all, because it becomes possible to imagine a more complete program, articulating the exhibition in the gallery with the parallel film program. In this context, Solar’s artistic direction is confronted with several paradigms, both those intrinsically related to the curatorial work itself, as well as others, more pragmatic, such as the management of the activities and exhibitions’ calendar, this year more laborious, given the complex situation that we live in. Having overcome some of the uncertainties, resulting from the consequent and resilient work, the return became possible again and, interestingly, as Jordi Costa refers, to a kind of alchemy, to the intersection of science and witchcraft, exploring various aspects of the vast and diverse work by Isaki Lacuesta. The exhibition “O Caso Caligari”, which opened at the same time as Curtas last year, also revered German Expressionism, as in a way this oldest of contemporary directors does. .
The exhibition route establishes differentiated relationships between the works, from different periods, starting with the first short films that here find another dimension of more direct and intimate coexistence with the audience, going through a project of multichannel projection, therefore, specific to the gallery space, culminating in the most recent works, in which the intersection with music is dominant, as pieces made for songs. Isaki Lacuesta often works in partnership with Isa Campo and together with several artists from different areas, who lend to their works a purposefully ambiguous character, assuming the metamorphosis of the creative process as a process in itself, inviting, for example, an experimental film director like Adriana Vila Guevara to the shooting team, but also the singer Silvia Pérez Cruz, the dancer and choreographer Rocío Molina or the actress Alba Flores. Highlight, also for this reason, for the new pieces, recently completed and whose shooting was performed during the preparation for assembly of the exhibition, culminating its route.
In addition, Curtas Vila do Conde shows four of his feature films, whose career and awards attest their quality, dialoguing with the set of works on display. The program is completed with a guided tour and a debate. All activities will take place either at Solar or at the Municipal Theater, complying with the rules issued by the DGS.

Mário Micaelo