Iván Navarro
Photo: Thelma Garcia
Iván Navarro
Chile born 1972, lives in the United States 1997–
Level 3
NGV International
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PROJECT
Iván Navarro’s work encapsulates far more than visual manipulation. It critiques social and cultural environments shaped by political governance. The work resembles a portal to travel through – but from where to where? How do we enter? And once in ‘the system’ could we ever get out? – Mirage trans draws on the artist’s memory of his home country of Chile, where electricity was used as an instrument of torture and frequent power cuts isolated and terrorised citizens. The tunnel of small light bulbs is a social commentary on the oppressive tactics employed by Augusto Pinochet’s authoritarian regime (1973–90). Mirage trans reflects upon and questions the dynamics of power, control and capitalism that shape existence.
ABOUT
Born in 1972 in Santiago, Iván Navarro grew up under the Pinochet dictatorship. In his practice Navarro translates his memory and experience of the regime into sculptural installations, often using double-sided mirrors and lighting to create illusions and gateways. He has lived and worked in New York since 1997. Navarro represented Chile at the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009. Recent exhibitions include Bifocal, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Buenos Aires, 2019; and This Land is Your Land, the Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, 2019, and Busan Museum, Korea, 2018.He has held other exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, London; Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; Art Basel Parcours; Yinchuan Biennale 2016; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and Hayward Gallery, London.
Courtesy of the artist and Templon, New York. Proposed acquisition