STUDIO IMB

Set Design production for fashion label photoshoot

Set Design production for fashion label photoshoot

Usually my intuitive work develops from working with materials and often light plays an important role in finding shapes and spaces in small details.

Soundwaves 2.0 are analogue representations of music. The concept is inspired by music and digital music graphics known as soundwaves. The process of sourcing, meticulously building and layering is essential to my work. Through a meditative process of constructing the different elements, the final product becomes the expression, interactive paintings.

By using a QR code reader, the audience listens to the music represented on each work. Communication becomes a key element on these interactive paintings.

Soundwaves 2.0 are an invitation to reflect on these music selections as well as your own, as viewer. What’s the music that makes you dance? What kind of music/song gives you goosebumps? What’s the music that really moves you?

Everything started in 2011, when Alentejo’s landscape became an inspiration for a project. Visible throughout the Alentejo’s landscape, there’re extracted cork barks; The artist has chosen to use the cork in its natural state due to its remarkable beauty. (ORGANIC).

Cork landscape introduces a light dance mimicking the sunset through a selected color palette. This motion has been developed using an electronic arduino system. Also, when the audience approaches the installation’s center, the light goes off due to a motion sensor; it is a sort of nature’s self-defense. As soon as the human body steps away, space is created to regenerate and light emerges again. The artist thus encourages the audience to observe and contemplate the light dance. (SPACE, MOTION & TIME)

Upright objects displayed vertically, generate a zenith with alternating spaces creating a motion pattern. (VERTICALITY).

This light installation consists of 13 cork barks dispersed throughout the space; each is a different object presenting an unique shape evoking singularity and own identity; the emerging light creates a homogeneous essence extended by coloured reflections on the glossy floor of this particular space.

The light, intimately incorporated, expands through the rifts. We almost see ourselves within these objects: like a tree, internally the light as matter is protected by a body always intending to rise in a peculiar way. (FIRE/LIGHT & PROTECTION).

This installation was designed and created in collaboration with the children of Colégio Papião, in São Pedro do Estoril. To raise environment awareness this project has been developed specially for children. By collecting mainly plastic garbage from the surrounding beaches, together we created sculptures that compose the installation.

The children during the art workshops were able to build diverse sculptures such as sea animals, plants, corals and the ocean waves in order to create a new ocean made out of garbage. And so “Kai” was born; Kai is the title selected by the children which means “sea” following the Hawaiian roots.

Cork light is a singular component extracted from the light installation: Cork Landscape. Each cork is carefully selected and transformed to add value to your spaces, interior and/or exterior.

Cork is an exquisite material and considered to be an Alentejo’s landscape pure reference with a significant importance in Portuguese’s culture and industry. Each cork is naturally unique and contrasts with the incorporated lighting (led) as an artificial element. Thus, a coexistence is observed, a mutualistic symbiosis resulting in a win-win for both species.

This biophilic design object presents a cylindrical shape. The cork’s void, painted by light, can be displayed vertically or horizontally converting the ambience into an intimate, smooth, and poetic space. This contemplative sculpture transports the viewer into a world of wellness. The cork light unfolds a connection with nature as well as historical and cultural bond.

Cork is an elastic, light and resilient material. Cork has a magic chemical in its cell membrane. This chemical is a mixture of fatty acids and heavy organic alcohol called suberin, which as well as rendering cork impermeable also stops it from rotting or degrading over time. Also, it is an insulation material and fire retardant. It is durable and hypoallergenic; cork does not absorb dust, so is ideal for use by people who suffer from allergies or asthma.

It is a sustainable artistic object with a low environmental impact. Acquiring this artistic object is complying with sustainable art and respecting the 3Rs: Reuse - reusing a natural material; actually by using the raw material avoids production and/or matter transformation processes causing a very small footprint impact. Respect - respecting the material source, the cork oak tree. Regeneration - allowing the tree’s regeneration.

Cork light is composed of: one cylindrical cork bark - vertical or horizontal; RGB Led Neon Flex; RGB lighting control and transformer; Various electric accessories; Other hardware supplies.

Price on consultation.

There are millions of lives within a life.

These sculptures define layers, spaces exposing certain periods of time. This continuous material overlapped suggests motion; the motion of time as an individual and personal development, being a meticulous process. The artist carefully selected these diverse combinations of materials creating these beautiful families.

These tridimensional objects resemble geological extractions, a sort of contemporaneous archaeological layers removed from the urban landscape. Useless materials of our daily lives surroundings are here transformed to compose new shapes.

Each layer is a specific material with its own characteristics that vary within consistency, softness, textures, colors, weight, etc. Each layer discloses Nature's framework of a physical portion of the universe: molecules, atoms and electrons. Every particle of physical matter is in a continuous state of highly agitated motion although it seems to be motionless to the physical eye. It may be said that the universe matter differs from one another only in the number of electrons composing their atoms, and the number and arrangement of those atoms in the molecules of each element. The atom is Nature's "building block" out of which she erects an oak tree or a rock of sandstone, or a mouse, or an elephant.

Materials: diverse types of wood; foam; styrofoam; cardboard; acrylic; plastic; metal

Artistic challenge: "From trash, build a sculpture in one day".

Studio IMB created a family. This trio, initially presented itself as damaged and by implying a new material, such as cork pieces, the artist reveals into new shapes and meanings originating the sculptures.

The combination and contrast between materials (plastic and cork) compose the installation. The artist used this process to reflect on her creative methods and line of work. Where is the border between design and art? Could it be that art has a function or only exists in the design field? Can art and function coexist?

Led paintings are light paintings as a result of continuous developments based on abstractionism and geometric shapes. These geometric compositions are elaborated by overlapping diverse material on a light. The paintings emerge as abstract spaces representing natural landscapes. It is interesting to see how light transforms the materials aesthetics presenting several layers.

Two of the paintings present a combination of a child’s drawings contrasting with my rigid cut out shapes. These multilayer paintings become a symbol of a relationship's stage between a mother and child.

Materials: flat led lamp; diverse types of paper and acrylic and wooden frame box.

This piece is a result of research.

During the glass sculptures development process, something interesting occurred. From a purpose, the direction shifted and Blue emerged. Unexpected outcomes often become significant within creative processes.

Materials: turquoise neon and metal

Inspired by nature, the concept is a fusion between the following natural light events: light reflections (on glass or mirror) that create an unbearable, almost blinding light spark & light/dark game created by sunlight hidden behind a cloud; the cloud passes by; from this coexistence results in motion.

By using selected artificial materials, this light/dark game creates a dynamic simulation of the natural event mesmerizing the audience. Motion is shaped by a deep emphasis of an on/off light effect originating in a 3D painting.

Blind light is presented, hanging horizontally creating a skyline. In a dark space, the viewer observes 2 very bright lights in continuous motion, horizontally. The light in motion inevitably generates shadows transforming the surroundings gently and actively. This effect brings poetic moments into the architectural space presenting constant metamorphosis.

Behind and not completely hidden, there’s a raw mechanical system visible exposing the structure to the viewer. «Blind light» is not about clean and neat results. It’s not about perfection.

The viewers are invited to emerge in an abstract and minimalist world in which a raw mechanical system represents an infinite motion of time and space.

The installation is composed of one cobalt blue 4mm acrylic sheet, one motor, two switches, two LED lamps, screws and some other elements composing the motion system such as wheels, wire, etc. The installation is 100x50x25cm (length/width/ height).

Blind light installation has been presented at: Luminale, Frankfurt 2016; CCEN Sines 2017; Waking life 2017; mono gallery 2019

Circle shape: a circle is a perfect shape, also my favorite one; it can be found in natural systems such as in the human heart or in the water cycle. Circularity is the new methodology recognized to be the key to success within the context of overall systems: for example in the circular economy all can be re-use, the waste becomes resources, etc.

In this installation, the constant use of the circle shape, this repetitious element implemented as an opening, creates a sequence, the light & dark game; an analogy to the sun and cloud ephemeral momentary coexistence.

Circle sequence: the distance between the opening’s centers follows the Fibonacci numbers; a sequence that describes a spiral, the symbol of life and is represented within many nature elements such as: branching in trees, phyllotaxis (the arrangement of leaves on a stem), and the fruit sprouts of a pineapple, the flowering of an artichoke, etc. The circle sizes are 1, 2, 3, and 5 cm, also Fibonacci’s numbers. The idea is to replicate the beauty of a certain moment such as when we experience natural light events.

Regarding the selection of color blue, hereby I quote Yves Klein: Blue has no dimensions; it is beyond dimensions, whereas the other colors are not... All colors arouse specific associative ideas... while blue suggests at most the sea and sky, and they, after all, are in actual, visible nature what is most abstract. (Yves Klein)

Set Design in the audio performance Like Tears in Rain. A collaboration with artists Ana Vilela da Costa e Martim Ramos.

“Like tears in the rain" is a performance where the audience is faced by the absence of the performer. Between total darkness, loops and optical illusion, the audience is confronted by the question: “What would a body be that had experienced all possible experiences?

It is a result of an academic research created by Ana Vilela da Costa during a masters degree in Das Theatre, in Amsterdam. In collaboration with Martim Ramos, hereby it’s explored memory concepts, the body as an archive, presence/absence and science/fiction dichotomies in a post-humanistic perspective.

“Séance”, a performance by Mariana Tengner Barros was created to pass an important message from the spiritual to our terrestrial world. The costume embraced an historical essence presenting several features through the performance. In the final scene a new costume was presented emerging as the climax scene.

Costume Design by Studio IMB (Ines Monteiro de Barros)

O artista como médium. O corpo como território de revelação espiritual. A performance como experiência espiritualista de acesso a outros estados de consciência. Mariana Tengner Barros, na sua experiência como bailarina/performer e coreógrafa, descobriu-se como “uma espécie de mediadora de mensagens através do próprio corpo, da voz, dos seus intérpretes, mensagens associadas a ideias, sensações, emoções”. Cada vez mais consciente da magnitude deste papel, interessa-se por recuperar o lado mediúnico da sua prática. Sem querer colocar etiquetas, a artista concebe “Séance”, uma performance que parte dos princípios da sessão espírita, ou séance. Nesta pesquisa descobre a teatralidade implícita no dispositivo, que permite aceder a diferentes graus de “interpretação”, de manifestação do transe.

Mariana Tengner Barros navega entre o artificial e o genuíno, transgredindo as suas possíveis formas, introduzindo a ambiguidade entre o real e a ficção.  “Séance” é uma performance intimista, para 3 a 10 espectadores de cada vez, em sessões únicas e contínuas com duração de 30 minutos. Mariana Tengner Barros mergulha esteticamente na era Vitoriana, buscando referências no movimento Espírita, que surgiu no séc. XIX, simultaneamente com o movimento feminista e como reação à revolução industrial, ao mesmo tempo que constata a permanência neste século XXI do desejo forte pelo paranormal e sobrenatural. O corpo surge assim como veículo para aceder às “mensagens”, ao discurso histérico. Meditativa, intimista e diferente em cada sessão de 30 minutos, esta performance é como um shot que nos transporta para um mundo paralelo, pela mão de uma das mais interessantes artistas das artes performativas portuguesas.© Bruno Simão

Direção artística e interpretação Mariana Tengner Barros
Consultoria artística Nuno Miguel
Sonoplastia Jonny Kadaver
Figurinos e adereços Inês Monteiro de Barros Tavares
Styling Ana Sousa
Fotografias Bruno Simão
Direção técnica Daniel Oliveira
Produção A Bela Associação
Co-produção ZDB, BoCA

24 A 27 ABR 2019
Sessões de 30 MIN para 3-10 espectadores de cada vez

«A World in a Box» is a poetic interactive installation created for the Wonderland dance performances;

this prop can be played and transformed by the performers and children. It is a wooden box, a multi-function theatrical object;

it presents a handle to be carried as a suitcase; a removable old black board school to write or draw; a phone handle; a removable windmill and wheels to slide on a surface. The windmill is a connection element between the interior and exterior of the box. It provides sustainable energy to this Utopian world. The box’s exterior is colored and presents sharp/industrial aesthetics; the interior contains a bicycle light to brighten up this secret miniature eco-green landscape to expand the viewer’s imaginary world.

«A World in a Box» was presented at Oostblok, in Amsterdam.

Video Sketch book composed by natural light events registrations. Beauty can be found in daily life; elements such as light and motion are presented as captured mesmerizing moments to be shared with viewers.

Set Design designed and created for a children’s improvised dance & live musicians performance by Wonderland at OT301, Amsterdam.

«A World in a Box», an interactive prop was presented.

Workshop for children and adults 8 – 88 years old at Luminale 2016, Frankfurt

In collaboration with the audience and their unique input “Building with light” emerged! Throughout the festival, the city started to be built up from the floor and expanded day by day throughout the space; creating an organic 3D sustainable installation. By selecting recycled cardboard cylinders, the participant would paint and build their own section of the city. These different and unique sections combined created the city of light. Using a black light and special paint, an imaginary world was created.

Workshop’s results:

Young and adults’ s creativity stimulation

Dark and light awareness

Public's interaction and creative contribution

Group feeling generated within the public; the participant became part of the collective creation

Bonding artists to the audience

Site-specific light design at Prague’s Quadriennal 2015 with Tomáš Žižka and Henk van der Geest, in Prague in Czech Republic.

URBANS

Minimal and abstract emerge. A combination of geometric shapes, materials and colors come together in 2D painting creating new spaces (relief technique)

SOUNDWAVES

The invisible becomes visible. These compositions transform digital soundwaves into physical sound movements. The material staples create a structure. This material brings concrete materialization of the invisible, where the virtual becomes reality;

Soundwaves also represent reflections of a city. Mixed media paintings

DYSTOPIA VS UTOPIA

These five works are composed by fragmented photography collage. The compositions combine two separated images: New York City and Bazaruto in Mozambique. Both landscapes are fascinating and opposite extremes like Men vs. Nature. The amazing sea blue contrasts with the massive concrete buildings of NY and together compose a new landscape continuously confronting the opposites. It is a game of confrontation , a deconstruction created by rhythm, colors and forms. Photos by Jonas Martins

This interactive installation is based on keywords light, movement and interaction.

Dog Light was built with recycled materials presenting light and movement as its innate characteristics. This theatrical object enables a person to interact, play and to become a storyteller.

This installation is Ledscape – City of light.

Composed of 5 different wooden structures; each one contains attached green LEDs on specific spots creating light sections like a city at night. Covering the LED’s, there’re transparent plastic covers recycled, to provide a «fake» protection evoking an idea of buildings in a landscape. Upcycling the plastic containers is a sustainability action appealing to the present ecological issue.

The structure is suspended, horizontally, in the space by black ropes; immediately, it reveals the raw connections to the viewer as a realistic and less neat image of the LED’s electric connections; it shows the installation skeleton. On the other side, it is possible to see the beauty of it, as a reflected image because a mirrored surface lays on the floor and allows the viewer to see the City of Light.

This piece becomes a canvas for two projections; the video “Black” projection comes from the top right and the other from bottom left, both in an angle. These projections, visible on both opposites surfaces create a diagonal line intersected by the suspended composition.

This assignment consisted in creating an installation to promote the well-known contemporaneous dance Festival Springdance at location Kikker Theater, in Utrecht.

The presented festival’s keywords were: experimental, alternative, creative, young, modern, fresh, international and movement to inspire the concept. It was the Festival’s 25th anniversary announcing the thematic modern vs tradition.

Concept: the theater becomes a magnetic power field so everything and everyone is attracted and pulled into the theater space. It consisted in a group of common objects positioned creating the idea of disintegration, flowing and being pulled into the theater’s door. It is a freeze moment, an idea of motion created by a still image. This surrealistic image suggests the absurd and experimental world.

The daily objects are recognizable to reach different audiences. The objects are a chair, a lamp, books, a travel bag, an umbrella, a blanket, high heel shoes; etc; a total of 25 objects, one for each year of the festival's existence. The objects were mainly upcycled and evoke a combination of old and modern styles – tradition vs. modern.

It was painted with one color to create a unique and homogenized sculpture, creating a desirable movement, the dance evolution. The paint was added in a special way in order to emphasize the flowing and dragging effect. The whole image is a call out to the viewer with its intriguing appearance.