Once Upon a Time in America proposes a reading exercise on the impact of U.S. mythology and culture on postwar contemporary creation. Drawing on works from the Julião Sarmento Collection, the exhibition reflects on a singular imaginary shaped by cinema, urban space, minimalism, and realism.
At the centre of the exhibition is Arena 3003 (1997 – ongoing) conceived by Rita McBride. Arena is reimagined within a copyleft framework by students and professors from the Department of Architecture of the Universidade Autónoma (Construction Seminar). Built using reused materials, this collaborative process emphasizes the principles of participation, shared authorship, and democratization embedded in the original project.
The exhibition brings together works by, among others artists, Bruce Nauman, Christopher Williams, Cristina Iglesias, Dan Graham, Ed Ruscha, Glen Rubsamen, James Casebere, James Turrell, João Louro, João Paulo Feliciano, John Baldessari, Jorge Molder, Juan Muñoz, Lawrence Weiner, Louise Lawler, Matt Mullican, Nan Goldin, Richard Artschwager, Richard Nonas, Richard Serra, Rita McBride, Robert Gober, and Robert Morris.
Curated by: Isabel Carlos and Rita McBride
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