From Gross Bodies Freed, Divinely Move

“(...) from gross bodies freed, divinely move”, a title taken from a passage in Cornelius Agrippa's seminal work, *The Philosophy of Natural Magic*, explores the intersection between humanity, nature, and the ethereal, and proposes, through a fictional post-human future, the creation of new possibilities for encounter and the dissolution of the boundaries between the three assertions stated. Inspired not only by Agrippa's work, but also by the speculative essays of other authors such as Donna J. Haraway, Werner Herzog, and René Daumal, this exhibition invites us to look/think beyond doctrinal understanding, presenting a new reality where the human and the elemental converge. As a starting point, Guilherme explores and speculates on the tension between the human desire to replicate nature and the profound mysteries it contains.

Meticulously arranged in the room, the delicate resin sculptures attest to Agrippa's belief that the forces of nature contain within themselves a supernatural power; that is, the shadows projected by these sculptures extend far beyond their physical limits, highlighting the failure of humanity's attempt to replicate the essence of nature. The beauty and complexity of nature prevail over mimicry.

Alongside these sculptures, a video installation captures the fluidity of liquid elements. The cascading water and the currents weaving intricate patterns and textures confirm the mutable nature of the tangible—an ideal scenario of a future where humanity sublimely dissolves into the elements. This water, in constant energetic flow, symbolically represents the inherent fluidity of life and the futile attempt to fix its meaning.

Repetition gives the exhibition its central theme: the copy of an image; The drop falling on a tendril of moss—a reverie on the fleeting nature of existence and the multiplicity of meanings that can derive from a single moment. Susan Sontag, in *Against Interpretations* (1964), states that “interpretation is the revenge of intellect on art,” proposing that each of us must resist the temptation to impose our interpretation and, instead, embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty of our own existence.

The exhibition “(...) from gross bodies freed, divinely move” challenges us to explore the complexities of post-human existence and reconcile ourselves with the brilliance of the unknown. As we inscribe ourselves in this space, let us allow ourselves to be challenged and inspired by what lies within, not neglecting the idea that meaning should not be imposed on the world, but rather found in the complexity of experience, whether in pataphysical speculative scenarios or in the present moment.

Guilherme Curado (1996). Faro, Portugal
Multidisciplinary artist, lives and works in Lisbon. He holds a degree in Multimedia Art and a postgraduate degree in Sound Art from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon. His research exists at the intersection of the everyday, the mystical and fiction, which he materializes through installation, photography, sound and sculpture.