JOÃO PEDRO VALE & NUNO ALEXANDRE FERREIRA

Both the dubious duality of Browning’s categorisation of “freak”and Fellini’s vision of the circus as a metaphor for life are appropriated and contextualised here in a modern society in which, as the title suggests, the classical split between rich and poor clown is used to examine the context of financial crisis. Through its communal and nomadic nature and a structure and lived experience that are very much its own, the circus is presented as the final bastion of resistance to the capitalist assimilation characterisingwestern society. Moving at the margins of a so-called global society responsible for the mainstreaming of economic policies and social organisations that are increasingly intrusive and standardised, the circus remains a metaphor for everything considered different and divergent, a theme which is central to “Palhaço Rico Fode Palhaço Pobre”.  

João Pedro Vale (1976) graduated in sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Lisbon, going on to study at the Escola Maumaus. Since 1999, he has held various solo and group exhibitions both in Portugal and abroad. In2002, he was nominated for the Latin Union Award and in 2004 won the City Desk Sculpture Award. His work uses media ranging from sculpture to photography, performance and film. He has produced and directed a number of experimental feature-length films in partnership with Nuno Alexandre Ferreira.

Nuno Alexandre Ferreira (1973) studied sociology at the New Lisbon University (UNL). He has collaborated with João Pedro Vale since 2004 on projects in the areas of sculpture, photography, exhibition production, performance and film. Together they have created scenery and costumes for Teatro Praga, Companhia Nacional de Bailado and John Romão. They curated "Intendente" (2014) and "Gente Feliz com Lágrimas" (Walk&Talk, 2015) for which they also published the book by the same name. In 2014, they created the multi-disciplinary project BREGAS in which they present projects by other artists.