Carlos Noronha Feio: Milk and Honey

3+1 Arte Contemporânea is pleased to present Milk and Honey, the latest solo exhibition by Carlos Noronha Feio (1981) at the gallery.

Carlos Noronha Feio’s multidisciplinary work reflects on themes such as identity, nationalism, and local and global culture. Using varied historical, geographical and cultural references, the artist comments on global social and political issues. In Milk and Honey, Noronha Feio explores the dichotomy between the manual and the technological in distinct but complementary series—on a conceptual level, as well as in the materials used—that share similar visual motifs.

Returning to his series of Arraiolos rugs, inspired by Afghan war rugs, the artist reflects on arts and crafts. The patterns created for these rugs centre, this time, on a new symbol: the opium poppy—of which Afghanistan was the world’s largest producer until last year. The integration of this flower in pieces produced by artisans seeks to establish cultural and commercial links between the Middle East, Europe and the USA, places where the poppy is both common and symbolic—particularly in the English cultural historical context.

At the same time, Noronha Feio will present new series of works in which he also uses apparently natural motifs. Short, animated videos depicting the growth or movement of flowers and trees hide images of nuclear explosions, contrasting the natural world with that created by human beings. Sculptural works bridge the gap between these videos and the Arraiolos rugs, where the imagery of nuclear explosions and opium poppies gets combined and tangled. 

An exhibition text by curator Corina L. Apostol and an interview by curator Carolina Grau will be available at the show, website and by request.

Carlos Noronha Feio (1981) lives and works in Oeiras. Noronha Feio holds a PhD from the Royal College of Art, London. Selected solo shows include: Arkipélg, curated by Irlando Ferreira, CNAD - National Centre for the Arts, Crafts and Design, Cape Verde (2023); (sunsight!)/(sunclipse!), Kunstverein am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, curated by Susanne Prinz, with the support of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Rosa-Luxenburg-Strasse 27 + 28, Berlin (2022); My Head is my only House unless it rains, curated by Nicolas de Oliveira and Nicola Oxley, SE8 Gallery, London, UK (2023); at the end of it all there’s the beginning, the negotiation!, 3+1 Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon (2021); o peculiar é um detalhe no todo comum, Q22, Colégio das Artes, Coimbra (2021); even if at heart we are uncertain of the will to connect, there is a common future ahead, Narrative projects, London (2018); as you do on earth…, Iragui Gallery, Moscow (2015); A Matter of Trust, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow (2017); banhados pela luz brilhante do pôr do sol, 3+1 Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon (2015); and Oikonomia: A Matter of Trust, MNAC – Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea do Chiado, Lisbon (2015); Matter of Trust, curated by Emma Moore Small Collections Room, Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham (2014). He is present in several collections including: Coleção Armando Martins, Portugal; MAAT – Fundação de Arte EDP, Portugal; Coleção Norlinda e José Lima, Portugal; Saatchi Collection, UK; Fundação PLMJ, Portugal; MNAC – Museu do Chiado, Portugal; MAR – Museu de Arte do Rio, Brazil; amongst other national and international private and public collections.

3+1 Arte Contemporânea, founded in Lisbon in February 2007, was created with the aim of promoting Portuguese and international artists, focusing on original proposals that emphasise the diversity that qualifies contemporary artistic practices. The gallery has distinguished itself by presenting international artists little known to the Portuguese public, along with emerging national talents of exceptional quality. 3+1 intends to continue broadening its horizons by investing in internationalisation.